


What A Girl Wants

by whitecrossgirl



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Family, No Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-10-04 20:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 29,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20476907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whitecrossgirl/pseuds/whitecrossgirl
Summary: AU inspired by the 2003 movie 'What A Girl Wants'. Aurelia Tarth has grown up with a fairy tale for a father. She was raised with stories of his adventures with her mother until they were forced apart. Now sixteen, the opportunity arises for her to go to Kings Landing and meet Jaime and get the answers that only he can give her. Just one problem; Jaime has no idea that he even has a daughter.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is an AU based on the movie “What A Girl Wants” that I absolutely loved as a kid. I wanted to challenge myself by placing it within the canon universe however very little of the actual canon will be there. Robert is King but instead of asking Ned, he asked Stannis to be his hand so no war of the Five Kings; Robert's king only because I prefer writing him as king compared to Joffrey. Also the twincest didn’t happen so Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen are legitimate Baratheons. This is also my first attempt at an OC, please let me know if it’s too Mary Sue-ish.  
Aurelia is pronounced Or-E-Lee-A; according to video links and info I found on Google.

She had grown up with a fairy tale for a father. 

Stories of a brave and handsome knight, a true warrior, a noble Lord sworn to his duty. Stories of a man who had committed a heroic act but tragically, was viewed as a traitor for it. Stories of a wandering knight who stumbled across a wandering maiden. Stories of their adventures, rescuing the maiden from a bear. The maiden saving the knight from his own troubled heart. Stories of how they fell in love until fate had torn them apart. Stories of how he loved his little girl very much but was cursed to never see her again. Stories that were only told occasionally. Stories that made her mother sad whenever she told them. 

As she grew older, she became suspicious of her mother’s stories. If the knight in her mother’s story was a hero, why was he viewed as a traitor? If he was a lord, why had he not given her his name? If he was so honourable, why had he not acknowledged her as his own or even tried to contact her. She was young but not that young that she believed in curses. Old enough to understand that people stayed away by choice. It had taken her mother fifteen years before she finally told her the truth.

Her parents had met after Robert’s Rebellion. Her father had been part of the Kingsguard and left the city after the death of the Mad King. Her mother had been a young woman, leaving her home to find some form of acceptance from somewhere in a cruel, unforgiving world. They had crossed paths when travelling and had been captured together. Throughout their time as captives, they built up enough trust to escape; the story about the bear had been true. He had leapt into the bear pit to save her after realising she had been given a wooden sword to defend herself with. The trust had led to a friendship. The friendship had blossomed into a whirlwind romance. By the next moon turn, they had married under a Weirwood tree. Two moon turns later, they had returned to Kings Landing and reality had cruelly intervened. Her father’s family had been horrified by his choice of bride, he had been reinstated to the Kingsguard, their marriage had been annulled and she had been sent home in disgrace. All of it could have been forgotten, a foolish mistake by two young people who hadn’t know better, caught up in the arrogance and recklessness of youth; except she had arrived seven and a half months later. A strong, healthy babe with flecks of golden blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes. Impossible to tell who she resembled, much like every other infant when they are first born but with enough to see traces of her parentage.

Her grandfather had petitioned to King Robert, they were aware of the circumstances regarding her conception and her parents’ marriage and despite it having been annulled, King Robert had officially legitimised her with her mother’s name. She was to be Aurelia Tarth, not Aurelia Storm. 

Aurelia had listened to her mother’s tale and although her mind was rushing with questions. Only one came to mind. The most prominent one of all. 

“Who is he?” Aurelia asked and Brienne kept her gaze as she admitted the last part of the story.

“Jaime Lannister.” Brienne answered, feeling Aurelia’s hand grip her own tighter.

Jaime Lannister was her father. The Kingslayer. She had heard of him, of course she had. The one who stabbed the Man King in the back and slashed his throat as Lannister forces sacked the city. She knew that he was known as the best swordsman in the seven kingdoms; although aside from that, she knew little else about him. In fact, out of all the main noble houses, she knew the least about the Lannisters. This had to be why. Finally, a second question begged itself to be asked.

“Does he know?” Aurelia asked. “Does he know about me?”

“He does,” Brienne answered. This was the difficult part. The part which still made her question the man she thought she had once known. The Jaime she had known would have loved that they had had a child. He would have done everything to keep her by his side, he had told her that despite being in the Kingsguard, he had also wished for an army of children to call his own. Yet when they had been in the capital and everything changed; she had had to wonder if she had ever known him at all.

“Then, then why hasn’t he… why did he never… does he even care?” Aurelia asked, feeling the tears in her eyes and angrily wishing them away. Childishly, she wished that her father had been cursed. Knowing that it was impossible for him to see her was more of a comfort than knowing that he could have seen her at any point over the past fifteen years. He had merely chosen not to. 

“He does care. Things were complicated between us but he does know who you are. I wrote to him three times; when you were born; when King Robert legitimised you and when you had the pox when you were six.” Brienne explained. She didn’t need to finish that sentence. Aurelia already understood.

“He never replied.” Aurelia finished and Brienne nodded.

“I know this is difficult to hear but you’re not a child anymore. You can write to him if you wish, now that you know who he is. But I can’t guarantee that he will respond to you. If you wish to reach out to him, I can’t lie to you and say you’ll get an answer” Brienne explained as Aurelia shook her head.

“I still don’t understand what would have changed. You sounded so happy in your story then overnight it all goes wrong.” Aurelia said as a horrible thought struck her. Was it because of her? “Did you know then, about me?”

“This was not your fault,” Brienne reassured firmly. “I didn’t know about you until I was halfway back to Tarth. Even if I had known before, my being pregnant with you was not the cause of our separation. Sometimes relationships are complicated. In our case, it was too complicated.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t me?” Aurelia asked as Brienne hugged her close.

“Aurelia, you are the best thing that came out of that experience. Maybe Jaime and I were in love, maybe we were two young reckless adults who felt an illusion of love. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you are my daughter and I love you more than the stars in the sky.” Brienne reassured Aurelia who managed a small smile.

“I love you more than the sapphires in the sea.” Aurelia replied.

Later that evening, Aurelia debated, drafted, scribbled out and tossed scrap after scrap of parchment into the fire. She wanted to write to Jaime Lannister herself. She wanted to hear his side of the story. She wanted to know why someone her mother had described as honourable had abandoned the woman he loved. Why he had never cared to acknowledge their child. Not for the first time in her life; Aurelia wondered if things had been different had she been born a boy. A boy meant a male heir, someone to carry on the family’s name and legacy. Many a bastard boy had been claimed by their birth father. Even the king had claimed one in the Stormlands; Edric Storm. None of his other supposed bastards had been claimed. Maybe if she had been a boy, or even more like her mother, in looks and abilities, maybe then her father would have taken more of an interest in her. He would have taken her to Kings Landing or to Casterly Rock; named her as a Lannister, the next golden lion. 

Or maybe it wouldn’t have mattered either way.

Aurelia had never been sure of who she looked like. She knew she had inherited her mother’s eyes and strong lips. Her height definitely came from her mother and grandfather; it was like a joke amongst the Stormland houses; they grow them tall on Tarth. But what had come from her father? The golden blonde of her hair? Was her smile like his? Or her nose? Did she have his jawline? If they ever met, would there be anything in her appearance that would instantly let him know that she was his. Or would he dismiss her as someone else’s child? 

As she struggled to find the words, in another part of Evenfall Hall; Brienne and Selwyn were having their own discussion of the day’s conversation. They both knew that this day would eventually come; one that managed to be both easier and harder than expected.

“Will she write to him?” Selwyn asked as Brienne glanced into her goblet.

“I know she will. I just don’t want her to be disappointed when he doesn’t respond.” Brienne answered. Should she have been truthful from the start? Possibly, but how do you tell your child that her father has no interest in her existence? How could she explain something that after fifteen years, she still didn’t understand? What had happened to Jaime? What had happened to them? What had happened to the man she had met in the Whispering Wood? Why had he become the distant man who had let her leave his life forever? 

“Do you think he would ignore her?” Selwyn asked and Brienne sighed heavily. All of the stories and nostalgia and hope couldn’t hide or disguise the truth. Jaime had ignored Aurelia. He had from her first letter informing him of her birth. He hadn’t travelled to Tarth to see her. He hadn’t challenged the legitimacy; stripping her of any inheritance within House Lannister. He hadn’t even cared when she had written to him, frantically pleading for him to come and see his daughter before the pox took her. That had been the last straw; Aurelia had been close to death’s door but still, Jaime didn’t care.

“He ignored me.” Brienne answered. “I know I could have taken her to see him but these things go two ways. They got rid of me. He ignored her. I just don’t want her to be hurt.” 

“We can’t stop our children from hurting.” Selwyn said wisely, smiling at her. “Why else would I have taught you how to wield a sword properly.”

“It never gets any easier, does it?”

“I’m afraid not my dear, I’m afraid not.”

Aurelia wasn’t surprised when days, weeks and months passed without a reply to her letter. Although she had never expected one, it didn’t make the pain hurt any less. Instead of dwelling on it, she distracted herself with her studies. As her mother’s only child and heir; one day the running of Tarth would fall to her. This was where she and her mother differed the most. Although her mother had received a strong education, she had spent more of her time training, fighting and learning to defend her home. Aurelia was more of a scholar and preferred to read about battles as opposed to fight in them. Although her lessons covered everything from reading and writing, numbers, managing a household, elocution and manners; history, geography and politics; there were some areas of study that she hated. She despised her music lessons, especially her dancing lessons and spent more time stabbing her finger when sewing instead of what she was meant to be stitching. As time passed, Aurelia managed to almost convince herself that she was better without her father in her life. She had survived fifteen years without knowing who or where he was and she had had a perfectly good life without him. She had a home, a loving family and a bright future ahead of her. Her father had made his choice. It would be him who would regret it. 

The letter came three days after her sixteenth nameday. It was a summons to court to discuss the increase in piracy in the Narrow Sea. Many of the coastal and island houses had been summoned to meet with King Robert and the Small Council. The scroll had arrived when they were breaking their fast and Selwyn read it to both Brienne and Aurelia.

“Are you going to go?” Aurelia asked, trying to ignore the excitement in her stomach. Tarth wasn’t one of the larger or more important houses but they were some of the best sailors and defenders of the seas. 

“I have to, His Grace has summoned me.” Selwyn answered, giving his granddaughter a knowing look. Brienne had seen it too and knew the day had finally come. When Aurelia had been born, she had been determined to never let her daughter near Kings Landing but now that Aurelia was older and knew what kind of person Jaime was, Brienne knew she wouldn’t forbid her from going. If Aurelia was anything like she was in her youth, she would probably smuggle herself along anyway. At least this way, she would be safe, she would be with a family member and she would have an expectation for who she would meet. 

“Aurelia, you understand that this is an important duty for our house.” Brienne said carefully. “This isn’t a social invitation. It is also an opportunity to present you to the King as the future heir of Tarth and Evenstar.”

“I underst- wait,” Aurelia paused and looked between her mother and grandfather. “You want me to go? By myself?”

“Not by yourself, the king will expect me at the meeting but you can come and visit the city.” Selwyn offered; the most important part of the sentence went unsaid. This was her chance to find her father and speak to him face to face.

“I can go? You’re letting me go?” Aurelia asked Brienne who nodded. She knew better than to ask Brienne to go too, besides she would be needed to stay in Tarth and control things in her father’s absence. 

“You’re old enough and you know everything about your father that I’ve told you. Just promise me that you’ll be careful.” Brienne said as Aurelia leapt up and threw her arms around her.

“I will, I promise! Thank you Mother, thank you!” Aurelia exclaimed excitedly. Brienne hugged her back and as Aurelia repeated the same with Selwyn, she felt a familiar worrisome thought enter her mind. She knew it wouldn’t be the fairytale that Aurelia had loved in her youth and she would like to think that Jaime wouldn’t reject his daughter when he finally met her. 

They departed for Kings Landing the next day. Aurelia had hugged Brienne tightly and blinked back tears before she boarded the ship. It had always been the other way around before; Brienne leaving for a journey and Aurelia staying at home. Aurelia felt her excitement and nerves build in her stomach as they cast off. She had remained on the deck, watching and waving as Tarth grew smaller and smaller until all that remained was a blip on the horizon. 

“How long will it take us to reach Kings Landing?” Aurelia asked Selwyn who cast an expert eye to the skies above them.

“If the sea stays like this, it will be two days hence,” Selwyn answered. “I know I don’t have to remind you to be on your best behaviour.”

“Grandfather, I’m sixteen. I’m not going to punch anyone’s front teeth out.” Aurelia complained, she still stood by her actions. Rupert Connington was a snot nosed brat who deserved his teeth knocked out. 

“I know you won’t but this is an important meeting. You have to remember, you’re representing our family and our homeland. I know you’re wishing to meet your father and you need to show him that you are a highborn.” Selwyn advised. There would doubtless be some sort of scene when Aurelia and Jaime came face to face. Over the years, he had wanted to meet the Lannister and give him a good beating himself for all he had done to Brienne and Aurelia. However this was something for his granddaughter to sort for herself. So he wouldn’t intervene. For now. 

Two days of calm sailing had brought them safely into Blackwater Bay. Theirs was not the only ship that had arrived into the harbour. She recognised Stannis Baratheon’s ship, along with one bearing the sigil of House Seaworth. Aurelia hoped that it meant Ser Davos would be at the meeting, she had met him several times before in the Stormlands and he was a kind, jovial man. He was a favourite of all the children, telling them stories, playing games with them, giving them wooden toys he had carved himself. Aurelia tried to place some of the other sigils that had been emblazoned on the ships; yet few outside of the Stormlands were ones she was familiar with. Only ships belonging to the most important houses; such as the fierce direwolf of House Stark; the golden rose of House Tyrell and then, there it was. The proud, bellowing golden lion of House Lannister; the sails of the ship a vivid, scarlet red. 

Aurelia watched the crowds of people on the docks; the majority seemed to be sailors and merchants, loading or unloading their ships with their newest goods for trade. Intermixed with the crowd were baker boys wheeling carts of loaves, young women carrying baskets of fruit and flirting with the sailors. A few beggars and drunks stumbling their way through the crowds, children running and playing as their mothers chased after them to scold them. Several members of the City Watch were patrolling, eyes vigilant for any thievery or mischief; their uniforms distinguished from that of the Kingsguard, instructed to escort the visitors to the Red Keep. The Red Keep towered over the bay and over the rooves of the houses, taverns and stables, she could just about make out the very top of the Sept of Baelor. Aurelia watched the Kingsguard members closely; she knew that her father was unlikely to be one of them; surely a knight of his skill and a noble of his standing would be expected to be by the royal family. It seemed too, that none of them seemed particularly interested that a ship from Tarth had arrived, rather just that it was one of the ships they would have to escort to the Red Keep. 

“Aurelia, come on now.” Selwyn called from the gangplank. Aurelia followed him, self consciously tugging the hem of her dress as she did. At the end of the gangplank, two members of the Kingsguard were waiting to escort them to the Red Keep. 

“What will happen, will we go straight to the King?” Aurelia asked Selwyn as they mounted the horses that had been provided for them.

“Possibly, it depends how many have arrived. When there are enough, we will be presented to the King and to anyone else in the court.” Selwyn explained, giving her a knowing smile. She knew better than to say anything that could be taken and spread around before it needed to be. “Are you feeling OK?”

“Just nervous,” Aurelia replied as she gripped the reigns with one hand and pulled her braid over her shoulder with the other. She hadn’t known how quickly they would be brought before the king and it had been more practical to braid her hair as opposed to risk meeting her father with her hair resembling a bird’s nest. It was a foolish thing to worry about but she wanted to give the best possible impression. She was representing her mother, her family and her homeland. She had to be presentable. Her mother had told her of her own difficulties in childhood at special occasions and places, Aurelia knew that there was almost an extra pressure on her to look presentable; especially when she overheard whispered remarks about how 'lucky' it was that Brienne 'the Beauty' managed to produce a child who wasn't as ugly as her. That was how vile little Howyrd Hunt got a black eye.

“You will be fine,” Selwyn reassured as they rode through Flea Bottom and reached the gates of the Red Keep. The Kingsguards spoken to the soldiers guarding the gate and they were let in. 

The Red Keep was more imposing in person. A labyrinth of towers, walkways and windows. The stone seemed to glow red in the light of the sun and she wondered if it had been created with the intention to make visitors feel small. She would definitely find herself lost at some point and as they were led inside, she tried to make a mental note of possible markers; a certain vase, a tapestry, that portrait of King Robert showing his victory at the Trident. However, there were too many passageways, too many turns to keep track of. The only thing she could do was keep in step with her grandfather and hope that their escorts at least knew where they were going. They were led up two different flights of stairs, along passageway after passageway before they were led into a chamber filled with other people. The majority of the people in the room were men, however there were about half a dozen women in the room too; all of them looked older than her and Aurelia assumed they were either wives or the female heads of their houses. There were a few faces she recognised but she didn’t feel brave enough to join their conversations. 

She suddenly felt very small and shy and unsure of herself. What was she doing here? Why was she in one of the grandest palaces in Westeros, about to meet the king and queen. Her aunt and uncle, she realised suddenly and her nerves increased. How could she have forgotten? Jaime Lannister was her father. Queen Cersei was his twin sister, her aunt by blood. King Robert was her uncle by marriage. Princes Joffrey and Tommen and Princess Myrcella were her cousins. Tyrion Lannister was her uncle and Tywin Lannister her grandfather. She had known that, of course, but she had never realised the implications until she was physically stood in the Red Keep. She wasn’t just close to the royal family, she was related to half of it by blood. She had been so focused on learning who her father was and meeting him that she had forgotten the family he had been born into.  
Aurelia glanced down at herself. She was about to meet the royal family. Her extended family. The other ladies in the room looked to be wearing their best dresses and they looked grander than hers. She could only image the beautiful silks, delicate embroidery and glittering jewels that Queen Cersei and Princess Myrcella would be wearing. She adored the dress she was wearing. She had always loved the different shades of blue that made up the layers of the skirt underneath the sapphire blue overlay of the dress; it always gave the impression of waves when she walked (at least that was what she thought). There were sunbursts and stars sewn onto the bodice and sleeves of the dress. The bodice, sleeves and corset were all a deep sapphire blue with light threads of pink woven into the sunbursts and stars. She adored the dress and only wore it on the most special of occasions. Now she felt very underdressed and she tried to scold herself. She had bigger priorities than her dress right now but it seemed she was focusing that nervous energy onto her dress to try and turn focus off of the rats that seemed to be gnawing on her stomach as the doors opened behind them.

“Follow me,” the man in Kingsguard armour instructed them. Aurelia felt her chest tighten with nerves and her hands begin to tremble. This was it. No going back. She was about to meet the person she had wanted to meet for sixteen years. And she was terrified.

“Please like me,” Aurelia whispered to herself as she felt Selwyn tuck her arm under his and give her hand a reassuring squeeze. 

“He’ll love you,” Selwyn reassured. “Or else I’ll toss him into the sea.”

“Thank you,” Aurelia smiled as they followed the other nobles out of the room and down the passage towards the large oaken doors that led into the Throne room.  
The Iron Throne was as large and imposing as it had been described in all of her books. Supposedly a thousand blades from a thousand of Aegon the Conqueror’s fallen enemies. The throne was on a raised dais and King Robert was sat on the throne. He was a large, imposing man who seemed to fill the throne he sat upon; his crown was atop his head and his bushy beard was greying with age. King Robert seemed disinterested in the new arrivals to his court. Aurelia could see Queen Cersei stood beside him. She was as regal and beautiful as Aurelia had heard, her long golden hair falling in waves to her waist and wearing a scarlet dress, embroidered with gold. Prince Joffrey looked like his mother but with his father’s dark hair and disinterested expression. She couldn’t see Princess Myrcella and Prince Tommen anywhere but at the bottom of the dais, she spotted her uncle Tyrion Lannister; the Imp. Aurelia looked up to the dais again but couldn’t recognise anyone else until her eyes fell on the man stood in white armour just behind the throne on King Robert’s right hand side. 

The same golden hair as his sister. The same golden hair as her. He was as handsome as her mother’s stories had described; emerald green eyes, a strong chin, tall and strong. His white cloak was pristine and she could see the pommel of a sword at his waist. His left hand rested on the pommel because Aurelia knew that he had lost the right one defending her mother. It had been one of her favourite stories as a child and one she had naively thought had meant her father had cared for her mother. 

Finally, it was their turn. They both stepped forward as the man who had been announcing the names read aloud. “Lord Selwyn of House Tarth.”

“Your Graces,” Selwyn said, bowing to the king and queen. “I have also brought with me my granddaughter; Lady Aurelia of House Tarth.”

Aurelia made her curtsy slowly, each move had been practised to perfection after she had learnt that she was to go to Kings Landing. As she looked up, she spotted the look of horror in Queen Cersei’s eyes before she quickly hid it. King Robert actually seemed to take an interest in her. Then again, she was a young lady he had never seen before. The king’s philandering was known across Westeros after all. 

“Lady Aurelia, your mother is Brienne of Tarth, yes?” Robert asked; he vaguely remembered signing some document to do with Brienne the Beauty’s daughter. To be honest, back then he had been caught up in his grief for Lyanna and the new duties of being king that he had spared little thought for whatever drama his wife had cooked up at the time. 

“She is Your Grace. She apologises for her absen-“ 

The sound of knees and a possibly metal hand hitting the steps stopped Aurelia from speaking. Everyone had turned to see Jaime Lannister kneeling by the side of the throne. His knees seemed to have given way. He was staring at Aurelia with a slack jaw as if he had seen a ghost. For a moment there was a still, nervous silence in the room. No one wanted to move or speak; not even to whisper a question about the Kingslayer’s behaviour. They had never seen him react like that before. Jaime seemed to open and shut his mouth a few times before he regained the ability to speak.

“You’re Brienne’s daughter.” Jaime whispered but in the silence of the room, it could be heard as clearly as a shout. It wasn’t a question.

“Yes, I am.” Aurelia replied, wondering why he was acting this way. He knew who she was. Didn’t he?

“H-how old are you?” Jaime croaked; this was impossible. She couldn’t be…

“I just turned six and ten last week.” Aurelia said, willing him to work out the numbers in his head. She had just turned sixteen; it had been almost seventeen years since her mother had been sent away from him. He didn’t seem to know who she was but she could see the wheels turning in his head as his expression turned from stunned to a fleeting image of hope.

“And your father, who is he?” Jaime asked croakily. Aurelia felt Selwyn’s hand on her shoulder as she realised the truth and she understood. He didn’t know who she was. She hadn’t planned for this but there was only one thing that she could say. The only two words that she would be able to say.

“You are.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and comments; I’m glad everyone is enjoying the story so far. I hope you like this update.

Jaime watched out of the window as some of the Kingsguard escorted the visitors into the Red Keep. Jaime took little interest in the happenings of the court. It was more or less the same thing day in and day out; the same people scheming and plotting for power; Robert drinking and blundering his way through small council meetings, his sister drinking and hurling spite and abuse at anyone who gets in her way. It was dull and repetitive, however despite the monotony, Jaime preferred it this way. Aerys’s time was one of danger and uncertainty. No one barely dared to move or even speak out of turn. The burnings had been constant, almost daily. Sometimes he could still smell the burning flesh, see people’s skin blistering, burning and falling, the court being devoured and destroyed in a burst of vivid Wildfyre…

Leaving the city after Robert’s coronation and his pardon had been the smartest decision he had made. He had needed to get away, to clear his head, breathe fresh air. He had also been running, trying to flee the reminders of what he had done, what he had failed to do, the new titles they had slapped onto his back. He was no longer the Golden Lion of House Lannister. He was the Kingslayer, the Oathbreaker, the Man Without Honour. He had gone wherever he had felt like going; it felt right to wander aimlessly with nowhere to travel to. His travels had taken him across Westeros. 

His travels had also taken him to her. 

He had met Brienne in the Whispering Wood. He had been drifting through the trees when he had heard the sounds of a scuffle and a woman yelling. Her shouts had awoken the instinct of the knight in him. A damsel in distress needed rescued. However as he ran to her aid, he saw her fall two of them at once; the third had already lay on the ground; either unconscious or dead. Jaime had looked into her eyes; the most captivating eyes he had ever seen. he had never believed in romance or love at first sight, but when he looked into her eyes, he knew she was someone special. After that, they had travelled for a few more days. Initially they didn’t speak much and when they did it was either generic comments or Jaime breaking the silence by making jokes or singing songs. Or it had been until the Bloody Mummers had captured them both. Jaime could still remember the terror he had felt that night. He had always felt helpless when he stood outside the Queen’s chamber; hearing her cries of pain and pleas for help. He had wanted to do something; he couldn’t for the queen, but he could for Brienne. 

So he did.

He had tried to lie; offering sapphires and gold for her safety. Then he pushed it too far and Locke lost his temper. Jaime always did have a habit of pushing too far. It had happened so quickly, it had taken him a moment to realise what had happened. Then he felt the burning fiery pain up his arm, the blood gushing from the stump and his own agonised cries of pain. He could still feel the heat as the wound was carelessly cauterised; how his body weakened under the fever as he and Brienne were dragged to Harrenhall. He vaguely recalled Brienne in a horribly made pink dress, closing his hand over hers when she was about to lose her temper. The fever had stolen most of his memory of being in a bath with her but he could remember two things; the sight of her naked body when he had slurred out an insult about her appearance and the feeling of her strong arms, the beat of her heart against his ear as he passed out. 

Jaime rubbed his stump absentmindedly as he indulged himself in memory. The memories he had been trying to hold back but that were starting to slip through since Tyrion informed him of the small council’s decision to summon the coastal and island houses to discuss the increased piracy in the Narrow Sea. Brienne had been from Tarth. Tarth was one of the largest trading ports in the seven kingdoms. He knew there was a possibility that she would be at the meetings. Jaime had spent over sixteen years trying to forget, training his mind not to think of her. But it had been impossible. She wound her way into his thoughts almost every day. Sometimes he still dreamed of her but none had had the power of the first time he had dreamed of her.

That dream had sent him back to her. He could still remember the sickening feeling in his gut at the sight of her, still in that mangled dress facing off with a bear, armed with only a wooden sword. He hadn’t thought, hadn’t considered a plan. He had just jumped into the pit. No plan, no clue, no weapons; just one thought. _Keep Brienne alive_. It was definitely the most reckless thing he had ever done, possibly the stupidest too; but he helped her out, she pulled him out and they had left together. 

That had been the turning point for their relationship. They were something more than travelling companions. It had never fully been defined by them. They were both friends and something more. They had healed their wounds, continued on their journey but now they were more open with one another; they talked, they joked, they shared secret thoughts in the dead of night; secret thoughts that were never discussed in the day light. Three weeks after they had escaped had been the first time he had kissed her. Admittedly, it had been the first time he had kissed anyone. As a boy he had been too busy training and fighting to chase after girls; although many a girl at Casterly Rock had made it clear they would chase him. He had also taken his vows in the Kingsguard seriously. He didn’t sneak off to brothels or flirt with handmaidens the way other Kingsguards had. But Brienne was different. Brienne was special. He had been her first kiss too. 

Caught up in their new romance and with the impulsivity of youth; within a week they had found a septon willing to marry them under a Weirwood tree. She wore the slightly dented armour her father had given her, he had draped his stained cloak over her shoulders. A ribbon they had bought on a market stall had been used to bind their hands. But none of that mattered; it could have been a grand ceremony in the Sept of Baelor with hundred of guests, rose petals and silks everywhere but it wasn’t and that wasn’t for them. All they had needed was one another. Their bedding ceremony was a private event between the two of them in the room of a small inn. Their honeymoon had been continuing their travels, side by side, never letting the other out of their sight. Everything had been perfect; their lives could have stayed that way forever. 

It had taken them two months to return to Kings Landing and that was where things went wrong. Tywin Lannister had been appalled by Jaime’s vagabonding. In the time that Jaime had been gone, he had missed the royal wedding between King Robert and his sister, the now Queen Cersei. Neither Tywin nor Cersei could hide their disgust and horror when Jaime had introduced them to his own bride. They hated her appearance; she wasn’t from an important enough house, they were fools who only thought they were in love. Jaime could still remember the arguments between himself and his father in regards to his running away, how he had betrayed both the vows of the Kingsguard and the duties of his family through his decision to marry and his choice of bride. It was made clear to both of them that Brienne was in no way, shape or form good enough to be a part of the Lannister family. He argued with his father and sister; he argued with Brienne when she had only tried to offer support, he argued with himself until finally he had made his decision.

He had sworn a vow to his wife. He would honour that vow. They were married in the sight of the gods; their marriage had been consummated. It would not be dissolved or annulled. He would leave the Kingsguard and travel to Tarth with his wife. He would turn his back on his family if they could not accept his wife. They had travelled everywhere together thus far; it wouldn’t be any different. But his decision had come too late. As Jaime made his way towards Brienne’s chamber to tell her of his decision and so they could tell his family together, Cersei and Tywin had approached him with the unthinkable news. Brienne had left that morning. She had sailed back to Tarth and she didn’t want him to follow her. 

Jaime hadn’t believed it and rushed to her bedchamber. There was no sign of Brienne. The few clothes, hair combs and her sword had vanished. The bed was neatly made, the wardrobe was empty and, on the table, lay the ribbon they had used to bind their hands. She hadn’t taken it off since the wedding; tying it around her wrist because her hair was too short for her to wear it. It made no sense to him, he had seen her yesterday, had slept in that bed by her side last night. They had made love the night before, he had held her and promised her that he would put things right. She must have already made up her mind to leave, she must have wanted one last night with him. 

He couldn’t understand how it had all fallen apart. Had they really been in love or were they just young, reckless adults who were just trying to run from their problems? Were they so desperate to find love and acceptance that they had blocked out the world? Had any of it been real? Jaime clenched the ribbon in his hand. 

Whatever Brienne had thought and felt; it had been real to him. 

Now, more than sixteen years later, Jaime found himself possibly coming face to face with her again. In the time since, he had heard almost nothing from Tarth. Brienne had never wrote a letter to him. She did not come to Kings Landing to see him. He knew that her father was still the Evenstar but he had heard nothing else. Had she married another? Did she have children? Did she still think of him? Did she still miss him? She had to remember him but was it with care or disdain that she did? He had considered going after her, but his temper and pride decided against it. She had been the one to leave him, he would not chase her down.

He sometimes wished she had at least said goodbye. 

Jaime pulled open a drawer on the dresser and pulled out the ribbon. The colour had faded with age, the ends were frayed from him running his fingers over it or twisting it around his hand and wrist. Jaime had never been able to bring himself to throw the ribbon away. He wasn’t a romantic but it was the last reminder of Brienne that he had. He still wasn’t ready to give it up. 

“Jaime,” Tyrion said as he entered the room. Jaime dropped the ribbon back into the drawer but Tyrion had watched him do it. Tyrion was the only one who understood how Jaime felt. He too had been involved in a reckless marriage that ended in heartbreak. But as Jaime refused to speak of Brienne, Tyrion refused to speak of Tysha. So neither of them mentioned it. That was the Lannister way of dealing with emotions. They didn’t. 

“Have they arrived yet?” Jaime asked dully. He was grateful that he would only be needed to be at the presentation of the families. Council meetings and meetings between houses bored him to tears. Had they actually been going to fight the pirates; that would have been more of an interest to him.

“The majority have, we’re meant to meet down in the throne room.” Tyrion said as he poured himself some of Jaime’s wine. 

“And you need to prepare yourself.” Jaime quipped as Tyrion poured him a cup.

“You will as well. How many will try to gawp at the Kingslayer?” Tyrion retorted as Jaime took the cup and downed it in one. 

“Don’t leave me alone with those people.” Jaime warned. He just wanted to get through this as easily as possible. He wasn’t sociable in crowds at the best of times and this wasn’t the best of times. 

“As long as you don’t leave me.” Tyrion offered and they clinked their empty cups together. They both knew that Tyrion would be standing too far away to make any jokes or comments the way he would at a family dinner but they had mastered a silent communication over the years. One of their favourite games was guessing which members of the court were having an affair. Others were trying to find the ugliest person in the room or the one who looked ready to fall asleep. 

The brothers made their way down to the throne room; it was beginning to fill with members of the court and several members of the Kingsguard and Small Council were already standing on or around the raised dais where the Iron Throne loomed large. When there were enough members of the court present, Robert, Cersei and Joffrey finally entered and took their places. Jaime glanced at Tyrion as the doors opened and the visitors were escorted in. Tyrion nodded and turned his focus to the crowds. Today’s game was finding the most bored person in the room. 

Initially the challenge took Jaime’s attention before he fell victim to the droning voice reading names and the feigned interest Robert took in them and the feigned homage they gave him. Jaime was almost wishing for an assassin to burst into the room; just so he would have something to do when one word caught his attention.

“Tarth.”

Jaime looked up to see a tall, strongly built man with a grey and white beard approach with a young girl, around fifteen or sixteen by his side. Jaime knew the man could only be Lord Selwyn Tarth; his former father in law, but Jaime couldn’t place the girl. There was a familiarity about her. He had never seen her before but for some reason, he felt as though he knew her. She looked shy, unsure but those eyes, Jaime felt his knees threaten to buckle as he saw her eyes. He had only ever seen one person with eyes as blue and perfect as hers before. 

“I have also brought with me my granddaughter, Lady Aurelia of House Tarth.”

Granddaughter. Brienne had a daughter. This time, Jaime felt the breath caught in his throat. Jaime studied every detail of the girl. She was tall, like her mother and she had her mother’s lips. Yet Brienne’s hair wasn’t that golden blonde. Her lithe figure was similar to Cersei and Myrcella’s willowy build. She had a dimple in her cheek. Just like him. She performed her curtsy as perfectly as any highborn lady but she had short stubby nails, like she had been biting them. The way her mother did when she had been anxious or nervous.

An impossible idea burst into his head. Lady Aurelia was Brienne’s daughter. She had to be no older than sixteen. He and Brienne had been married almost seventeen years ago. Could it be…? 

“Lady Aurelia, your mother is Brienne of Tarth, yes?” Robert asked without much interest, he seemed to be more focused on Aurelia’s appearance than her words. Jaime felt a protectiveness flare up within him. This was Brienne’s daughter. Robert would not go near her. 

“She is Your Grace. She apologises for her absen-“

She had even sounded like Brienne. It sounded like he was hearing Brienne speak to him again. Jaime felt his past and present slam together in his mind with the weight and force of a brick and his knees finally buckled, causing him to fall forwards. He had tried to hide his thoughts and feelings about Brienne for so long; now her daughter was stood in front of him and an impossible, dangerous, wonderful possibility was right in front of him. He had to know. He needed to know. Jaime was aware of the gasps, mutters and whispers of the crowd but he ignored them. All of his attention was on Aurelia and although it took him a few attempts to find his voice; he had to speak to her.

“You’re Brienne’s daughter.” Jamie whispered and it seemed to echo like the loudest scream in the silent stillness of the room. Lady Aurelia looked at him with those sapphire eyes; she seemed puzzled, not shocked that the Kingslayer was kneeling before her, rather just confused that he was asking her what she and the King had already said.

“Yes I am,” Lady Aurelia replied. That much he knew, but there was more he needed to know.

“H-how old are you?” Jaime asked in a croak as he felt his heart constrict. _‘Please gods, let this girl be who I think she is.’_

“I just turned ten and six last week.” Lady Aurelia replied, maintaining her gaze. He could see the pleading in her eyes and he knew. He didn’t have to work out the numbers. She was Brienne’s daughter. She was sixteen years old. He and Brienne had been married seventeen years ago. She had abandoned him over sixteen and a half years ago. The timing fitted but he needed to hear it from her. Brienne would have never lied to her own daughter. He could puzzle out why she never told him later but he needed to hear it. 

“And your father, who is he?” Jaime croaked as he felt tears threaten his eyes and his throat seemed to burn with the suppressed emotion. 

“You are.” Lady Aurelia confirmed and Jaime raised his hand to his mouth and buried his head in it as his shoulders shook with tears. All around them the court exploded into whispers, muttering and comments. As his gaze dropped, he could see Tyrion looking between Jaime and Aurelia in shock but Jaime could only try to make sense of the thoughts in his own head. 

A daughter! He had a daughter! He and Brienne had a daughter! His mind was burning with questions; sixteen years worth of questions that he needed; how long had she known that he was her father? What were her first words? Did she know how to fight or was she a traditional lady? What did she know about him? What was her favourite colour? Her favourite foods? Did she have stepsiblings or a stepfather? There were so many questions that needed to be answered but once again, he found himself unable to speak as the question he wanted to know most of all burned in his mind.

Why hadn’t Brienne told him?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few pieces begin to fall into place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not going to lie, I found this chapter difficult to write but I'm also my own worst critic. I hope you enjoy it.

Despite the raised voices, chatter and discussion in the Throne Room, Aurelia and Jaime only focused on each other. Jaime wiped his eyes and stood, walking slowly down from the dais and approached her. Aurelia watched him walk towards her and she felt her grandfather’s hand squeeze her shoulder reassuringly. The talk seemed to die down as all eyes fell on Jaime again. No one in the room seemed determined not to miss a moment of the sudden scandal. None of them had ever knew, expected or assumed that the Kingslayer would have a child. Jaime stopped in front of her and reached out his hand, gently cupping Aurelia’s cheek in his hand, stroking it with his thumb. He had expected her to disappear at his touch; this couldn’t be real. 

But it was.

Aurelia blinked back tears at his touch and flung her arms around him, completing forgetting her manners and hugging him tightly. It took Jaime a split second to react before he hugged her back, feeling his own tears in his eyes. It was as if the gods had taken the deepest desire of his heart and brought it to life before him. He had always wanted to be a father, to have a whole army of children that he could raise and love and cherish with all his heart. This was a start. 

He was a father. He had a daughter. The most beautiful, wonderful daughter in the seven kingdoms. She was so much like her mother and he could even see traces of himself in her. 

“Out, everyone out. Stannis, you and the Small Council will begin the meeting.” Robert instructed, finally quietening the crowd slightly as they began to slowly and reluctantly traipse out of the throne room. 

“Grandfather,” Aurelia said, turning her head as Selwyn smiled at her and gave her a reassuring hug. 

“I’m here, I’m not going anywhere,” Selwyn reassured her. 

As the court left, Robert turn his attention to his son. “Joffrey, you’re meant to be training with the Hound. Go.”

“Fine,” Joffrey replied listlessly. Family drama like this didn’t interest him and he had no time for his uncle Jaime whimpering and blubbering like a maiden over his bastard daughter. Joffrey left the room, followed by his guard and the other Kingsguards who had been dismissed with a mere look. Now all that remained in the Throne Room were Aurelia, Selwyn, Jaime, Cersei, Robert and Tyrion. 

“I still can’t believe this. You’re my daughter?” Jaime asked Aurelia who nodded.

“I am. Mother told me all about your travels together but she didn’t tell me who you were until last year.” Aurelia explained before she paused. “But I don’t understand, how did you not know?”

“How could I know? I never heard a word from Brienne since she left. Not a letter, not a visit, nothing.” Jaime replied; the Brienne he knew, or rather the Brienne he _ thought_ he knew would have told him something as important as this. If she knew or even suspected that she was with child, she would have stayed; or in the very least informed him.

“That’s not right. Mother told me that she wrote to you at least three times. You never replied.” Aurelia countered. She knew the official letter of her legitimacy was in the library at Evenfall Hall, under the careful protection of the Maester and she knew her mother wouldn’t have lied about writing to her father. 

“I never received a letter,” Jaime retorted as realisation hit him and things became clear. Someone, and he could make a strong guess as to who, had intercepted his letters from Brienne and destroyed them. Keeping his daughter from him and hiding what they would have viewed as a shameful family secret. 

“I know Brienne wrote to you, when Aurelia had the pox, I was the one who sent the message because she wouldn’t leave Aurelia’s bed.” Selwyn informed, noticing the expression on Jaime’s face and reaching the same conclusion. Somewhere along the way, the messages had been intercepted and the information withheld from Jaime. 

“I wrote to you last year after Mother told me about you. She warned me that you mightn’t reply. She thought, I thought that, well… you didn’t care.” Aurelia said, trying and failing to keep the hurt from her voice. 

“I never got your letter. Believe me, if I had had the slightest idea, I would have been there in an instant.” Jaime insisted as he glanced at Cersei. She had been suspiciously quiet the whole time, settling for studying Aurelia like a spider studying the fly in its web. He had expected accusations from Cersei; demands for proof. Her silence told him everything that he needed to know. Cersei had known or at least suspected Brienne had been pregnant with Aurelia. 

“Really?” Aurelia asked and Jaime smiled at her.

“Nothing would have stopped me.” Jaime reassured her. “She could have come here, I would have seen her and you both, I wouldn’t have turned you away.”

“She didn’t know that,” Aurelia said. She would have to write to her mother, and keep writing until she got a response. It seemed that there was a problem with messages being sent and received from Tarth. 

“What do you mean by legitimised?” Tyrion asked suddenly as Aurelia looked at Robert.

“His Grace legitimised me. It was something to do with the marriage being annulled or Ser Jaime being in the Kingsguard I think and because I’m her only child, I will inherit Tarth. But it also prevents me from the Lannister line of succession.” Aurelia explained. At least that was how the legitimacy letter had been explained to her. 

“It’s true, the rights to Tarth and Evenfall Hall will go to Lady Aurelia and her children.” Robert confirmed as Cersei watched her suspiciously. 

“And are you the heir to your house?” Cersei asked suddenly and Aurelia tried not to flinch at the sharp tone. She had assumed that the queen would have spoken to her a little politely, even if she had been glaring at her since realising who Aurelia was. 

“I am,” Aurelia answered as she felt Jaime focus on her words. “My mother never remarried and I don’t have any siblings. My mother is an only child too so I don’t have any aunts, uncles and cousins.”

“She never remarried?” Jaime asked trying and failing to sound intrigued by the question. Surely if she hated him, she would have wanted to remarry as soon as she could. “Why not?”

“She never wanted to.” Aurelia answered simply. When she was younger, she had assumed it was because Brienne was still in love with Jaime but as she grew older, she wasn’t as sure. Whatever had happened between them must have been terrible enough for her never to want to try marriage again. It had to be lonely sometimes.

“What about you? Any betrothals or suitors I should know about?” Jaime asked, feeling a protectiveness that he didn’t feel that he deserved. He had only met her a few minutes ago, he was her father by blood but that wouldn’t mean he had a say in her marriage.

“Not yet. Grandfather and Mother have both said it will be my choice but they say that about a lot of things.” Aurelia replied; it was only on the rare occasions that her choice was actually her choice. Still, it was something all children had to deal with. 

“Wasn’t your mother the one who said she would only marry someone who could beat her in a duel? Do you have the same idea in mind?” Tyrion asked playfully. He liked the young lady; she was polite and well-spoken and he could see a naïve innocence in her. She hadn’t worked out what Jaime had. There would be more arguments to come but for now, they would enjoy the moment.

“Not really. I’m not that good at fighting. I mean, I can give a good punch but I’m not the best with a sword and my archery is worse.” Aurelia confessed, wondering if it would change Jaime’s opinion of her. Here she was, the daughter of two of the best swordfighters and warriors in Westeros but she could barely swing a sword. It always felt like everyone expected her to be a fighter like her mother, like she was a disappointment for being more of a feminine lady than a warrior one.

“Who did you punch?” Jaime asked curiously. He had expected Brienne to have had a sword in Aurelia’s hand from before she could walk. However Brienne had taken up the sword to confront the world’s unkindness to her; maybe she had kept her sword to protect her daughter from the same unkindness.

“I’m not proud of it,” Aurelia said, looking nervously at Cersei. This would undoubtedly sink her already low standing in the queen’s eyes. Highborn girls didn’t get into fights, especially not against highborn boys.

“It wasn’t the smartest thing to do but it was understandable.” Selwyn reasoned, remembering both boys who had come away with bloody faces and Aurelia trying to hide her bruised fists from Brienne.

“Who were they?” Tyrion asked, someone not being proud of something usually made for the best stories. At least in his experiences, his best stories and memories involved him doing something that he ought not to be proud of.

“Two different boys I know. Both of their fathers knew my mother. Rupert Connington said that I was an unwanted bastard of a desperate whore so I knocked his front teeth out. Howyard Hunt said that I was lucky that he was considering courting me because I wasn’t as ugly as my mother so I gave him a black eye. It wasn’t just that they were horrible to me but no one insults my mother.” Aurelia defended, noticing the proud flicker of a smile on Jaime’s face. One of her mothers stories had mentioned Jaime smacking Ronnet Connington in the face for insulting Brienne; it was almost like a family tradition now.

“Very honourable,” Tyrion commended. “Possibly not the best course of action but I’m sure it was well deserved.”

“Your mother is not here with you then,” Cersei said suddenly, a wicked smirk playing at the corners of her mouth as she targeted her newest prey. “Surely she would have wanted to see such a splendid reunion, would she not?”

“S-she chose to remain on Tarth, it’s her duty to keep watch and control over things when my grandfather is away.” Aurelia explained, trying not to stumble and stammer over her words. She couldn’t understand how the queen did that. All she asked was one questions but it was somehow able to dig and burrow under her skin. It was an innocent question but it also made Aurelia feel like she was suddenly on trial. 

“Convenient.” Cersei said as if it were anything but. 

“That’s enough, she’s Jaime’s daughter, your niece so let’s just get on with things.” Robert snapped, heaving himself up off of the throne. “Lord Tarth, lets go to this godsforsaken meeting that I summoned you here for in the first place.”

“Aurelia, you may need to come too,” Selwyn said but Robert dismissed it with a wave.

“Let the girl spend time with her father. Not all of us have the luxury of seeing them again.” Robert said sagely as he swept past her. He may be an old, fat, drunken lout of a king, but it also could not be said that he wasn't benevolent. 

“Thank you, Your Grace,” Aurelia said as she bent into a curtsy. “I’ll be fine Grandfather, I promise,” Selwyn squeezed her shoulder as he and the king left the room. Aurelia watched them go and when she dared glance back, Cersei was storming towards a side door without a word. The door slammed shut with a bang and Aurelia looked at Jaime and Tyrion.

“Did I do something wrong?” Aurelia asked; that seemed to have turned and ended rather abruptly. All she had said was that her mother had remained in Tarth; what she had originally been trying to say when Jaime had spoken to her for the first time. Had she been rude by mistake? Had they expected for Brienne to be there too? Did she get her mother in trouble for not coming? She got the impression that Cersei hated her, had hated her from the moment she had seen her.

“Don’t worry, Cersei treats everyone that way.” Tyrion reassured as Jaime squared his shoulders. He would not tolerate anyone speaking to his daughter that way. Yes, it was true that he had only known that she was his daughter for about half an hour but his point still stood. Besides, he had a question or two for his dear sister. 

“I’ll speak to her. Tyrion can you escort Aurelia around, show her the gardens and Blackwater Bay.” Jaime suggested, his unspoken order to keep her away from any of the more devious members of the court went unspoken. Things were done a certain way around here. Ways that someone who had been raised singlehandedly by the most honest and honourable woman in Westeros wouldn’t understand. 

“Do you have to go now?” Aurelia asked and Jaime smiled reassuringly at her. They would have more than enough time to spend together, he just had to deal with this one issue first. 

“It’s better to sort it out now. I’ll come and find you soon, I promise.” Jaime reassured, giving her one last hug before walking towards the door that Cersei had walked out through. Aurelia watched him go and turned to Tyrion.

“So what shall we see first?” 

In her private chambers, Cersei ensured the door was locked before she walked to her writing desk and grabbed the closest scroll and quill. She could not and would not let the beast's bastard steal Jaime from her and her family again. The message she wrote was brief but she knew it would be enough to get her father to arrive in the city quicker than he had planned to. They had doubted this day would ever come but nevertheless they had a plan. Cersei pulled open a drawer to pull out the wax for the seal and as the drawer slid open, three scrolls; yellowed and fragile with age and a fourth, fresher scroll spiraled towards the end of the drawer. Cersei glanced at the broken seal on each, cracked sunbursts and smeared crescent moons before she slid the drawer shut again. Cersei reread the scroll before she rolled it up and sealed it shut. All it said was three words but the three words would be enough.

_His daughter's here. _


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cersei lies, Aurelia meets her cousins and Brienne receives some letters.

“Cersei!” Jaime called, thumping on the locked door. “Cersei open the door!”

The lock turned with a click and Cersei opened the door, glaring at him. “What do you want? Shouldn’t you be with your daughter?”

“I needed to speak to you, I know that you knew.” Jaime stated as he shoved past her. Cersei shut the door and turned to him. 

“Knew what?” Cersei asked, her face a carefully crafted look of confusion.

“Don’t play stupid, it doesn’t suit you. I saw how you reacted to Aurelia, especially when she mentioned the letters. You knew about her, didn’t you?” Jaime accused; his sister had spies everywhere. Almost everyone at court either had a spy or was spied on. Spies, secrets and knowing your enemy was how the Lannisters clawed their way to power and Cersei had learnt everything she knew at their father’s knee. 

“No I didn’t. I would have told you.” Cersei denied and Jaime shook his head.

“I don’t believe you.” Jaime retorted. She and Tywin had been the ones who had mistreated Brienne the moment they met her; it had been Cersei spewing vile taunts and hatred towards Brienne, stirring up arguments between Jaime and Tywin and she had been the one to tell him that Brienne had left. Cersei had always hated it when anyone took Jaime’s attention off of her; even as children she had always had to be the centre of attention. The news that Jaime had a child was exactly the sort of thing that she would have withheld from him. 

“It’s true! Was I rude to her, possibly, but I have seen this before.” Cersei argued and scoffed at Jaime’s disbelieving expression. “Do you know how many women have dragged their children before me, their hair coloured black, claiming they were Robert’s bastards? A resemblance isn’t always proof Jaime!”

“She looks as much like a Lannister as Myrcella does; I don’t claim she’s a bastard. Brienne would never have lied to me. Not about something as serious as this.” Jaime argued, this was a battle of wits against his sister and one he was determined to win. 

“I’m not claiming that she lied, just be cautious. You said yourself, she could have come at any time. Why now? The girl is six and ten and with no sign of a betrothal. Now she’ll be seen as one of the most eligible brides in the country; Tarth, the Sapphire Seas and a slice of the Lannister fortune, which lords aren’t going to be demanding her for themselves or their sons.” Cersei stated; she had seen it before with Robert’s supposed bastards; each one thinking they would earn something from it, money, power, land. All of them were wrong, she had kept tabs on her husband’s affairs, knew exactly where each one of his spawn was: just in case. 

“Her family were summoned for a meeting.” Jaime argued, refusing to let Cersei’s words win him around.

“Lord Tarth had been summoned before. He came to the capital before; I’ll ask you again, why not say something before. If what she says about the letters is true, Lord Tarth could have informed you.” Cersei reasoned. “She’s at a marriageable age now and will inherit more than what most girls would.”

“She’s been disinherited from our line.” Jaime countered and Cersei shook her head at him condescendingly.

“Do you think any of them would care? She’s a Lannister by blood, they would see her as their way of marrying into our family; trying to seize what we have.” Cersei explained; theirs was the mightiest family in Westeros; the wealthiest, the strongest, the largest army all belonged to House Lannister. Robert and the Baratheons held the throne but the Lannisters held the power. 

“Like you claimed Brienne did?” Jaime hissed, recalling the arguments and insistence that it had to be some sort of plot; there was no other possible reason for Brienne to want to marry Jaime. It wasn’t like they were two people with a deep emotional bond who happened to want to spend their lives together. No, the most honourable person he had ever met, simply wanted some of that Lannister gold. Jaime tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. “This is different.”

“Possibly, just be careful.” Cersei said, suddenly changing her tone to a softer, almost considerate one. “Don’t look at me like that! I remember how much it hurt you when Brienne did leave you, this is a large shock to take in. I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

“I didn’t know you cared,” Jaime said uncertainly. He rarely saw this side of his sister; but he understood her protectiveness. The three of them had had their arguments and fights and disagreements over the years but when threatened by an outsider; they closed ranks and stood together. Despite their differences, they were siblings first. Noble Eddard Stark might claim his pack of wolves would survive but nothing was fiercer than the lions protecting their pride. 

“Of course I do. And should you tell anyone, I’ll have your tongue ripped from your throat.” Cersei threatened as Jaime gave a wan smile. He was on the ropes, she almost had him. She just needed that one last knockout remark. “It suits you, you know. Being a father. Most men squander that gift.”

“I’m not most men,” Jaime replied. “Can you try to treat Aurelia better?”

Got him. Cersei hesitated, mimicking deliberation before slowly nodding. “I can try.”

“That’s all I ask.” Jaime said, turning before he turned back to her. “Did Father know?”

“I don’t know but when does Father tell us anything?” Cersei asked Jaime who contemplated that. Tywin had loathed Brienne more than Cersei had and he knew how ruthless his father could be. What Tywin had done to those who defied him; what he had ordered done to Elia Martell and her children to ensure there would be no claimants for his descendants to the throne. Who was to say that he wouldn’t do the same to Brienne and Aurelia? It still didn’t answer who intercepted the letters but he would solve that mystery another time.

Cersei waited until she heard Jaime’s footsteps fade from sound before she exhaled and composed herself. That would settle Jaime. For now. 

He always was the stupidest Lannister.

“I feel like everyone is staring at me.” Aurelia said to Tyrion as he led her into the gardens. The sun was blazing down on them and she pushed her sleeves up as she walked. In the throne room she had felt dozens of eyes on her, now it felt like there were hundreds, all of them watching every move she made, every step she took, straining for every word she said. 

“They are.” Tyrion replied easily. “It’s not everyday a maiden arrives claiming to be the daughter of the Kingslayer.”

“But everyone is looking at me,” Aurelia added, guards, courtiers, handmaidens; it seemed nearly every single person who walked past or was in the vicinity of her and Tyrion was going out of their way to catch a glimpse of her. She wasn’t that interesting of a person. 

“They will. It’s not just who you are but also the fact that nobody knew about you. There is no such thing as a secret here. If one person has a secret, everyone knows the secret. Yet nobody knew about you.” Tyrion explained and Aurelia frowned.

“But someone has to, Ja-Father never got any of the letters we sent him. Our ravens can fly through the fiercest of storms.” Aurelia said and Tyrion shushed her suddenly, his gaze darting around. 

“Not here, not now. Your first lesson at court, always assume that you can be heard.” Tyrion warned and Aurelia felt a wave of nervous dread squeeze her stomach as she glanced around to see at least three different people avert their gaze from her. Her mother had been right; this was truly the viper’s den; all of them were just waiting for the next scandal to sink their teeth into. 

“I didn’t mean-“ Aurelia said and Tyrion dismissed it.

“You know now.” Tyrion said as he led her through the water gardens. “I don’t think I’ve ever met your mother but I’ve heard a great deal about her. Is it true she defeated Ser Loras in a fight?”

“She did, she didn’t tell anyone she was taking part in the tournament and so she beat everyone until it was just Ser Loras left. He was spitting mad when she took her helmet off.” Aurelia recalled; she had been a small child when it had happened; only about seven or eight, but she could remember Prince Renly telling her that her mother’s taking part was a super special secret and she couldn’t tell anyone. She could remember sitting in the stands, giddy with excitement and giggling behind her hands as competitor after competitor fell at her mother’s hands. 

“It would have been quite the spectacle.” Tyrion agreed as a man Aurelia recognised from the throne room left the man he had been speaking to and approached them. Medium height, bald and plump, his hands were hidden in the long sleeves of his robe as he walked towards them. “Varys, what new songs have your little birds sung today?”

“That’s why I’m here. My little birds keep me aware of everything that happens in the seven kingdoms, yet not one of them could sing me a song about you my dear.” Varys said to Aurelia who glanced at Tyrion nervously. 

“I don’t understand, what little birds?” Aurelia said quietly. They were speaking of birds as if they spoke; like the rare Dornish ones which could mimic speech with careful training. However she doubted such birds existed here. That or she was missing something obvious.

“Varys knows everything that happens. Everyone knows everything but Varys knows more. It's as if the birds themselves speak to him.” Tyrion explained for Aurelia. “Even he didn’t know about you.”

“I see,” Aurelia replied. “Who is that man you were speaking to?”

“Littlefinger, Lord Baelish to give him his correct name. He’s harmless. Clever but harmless.” Tyrion said dismissively. “We’ll meet later old friend, for now I would like to spend more time getting to know my niece.”

“It was nice to meet you,” Aurelia said politely, watching as Varys walked off. “I feel like I know absolutely nothing. Everyone knows one another here, knows all of their secrets, I don’t know what I expected.”

“Honesty is a virtue but the best virtue is knowing the difference between telling what you know and telling all you know.” Tyrion advised before he smiled at her. “I know what will help. You met one of your cousins, you should meet the other two.”

“I’d like that,” Aurelia replied. She wasn’t sure how she felt about meeting Princess Myrcella and Prince Tommen. Prince Joffrey hadn’t seemed interested in meeting her but she supposed the future king would have larger priorities than a random cousin crawling from the woodwork. She had never had relatives her age, no siblings or cousins. She had had playmates but there was always either the physical distance between her homestead and theirs or the social distance with her as a highborn and them as lower born. It would be nice to have relatives her own age for once. 

Tyrion led Aurelia towards a more secluded part of the gardens, separated by an archway draped in roses and with several guards surrounding the archway entrance. The guards moved aside as Tyrion approached and led them pass. They stepped into the archway into a secluded garden, filled with flowers and a few trees offering shade against the sun. The young prince and princess were alone, save for a servant or two, who were dismissed with a glance from Tyrion. Twelve year old Princess Myrcella looked almost identical to her mother, save for having black hair and a kind expression on her face. Out of the three royals, only nine year old Tommen had his mother’s golden hair but he had his father’s build; he would grow to be tall and strong. Tommen had been sitting on the ground, playing with a kitten and Myrcella was sitting on a rope swing that dangled from one of the trees. It wasn’t like the rope swings Aurelia played on in Tarth, that was just a strong branch with a rope wrapped around the centre and dangled from a branch. Myrcella’s swing had been expertly made by carpenters and hung from the strongest branch on the looming oak. Instead of a mere stick, it was more of a bench than a mere seat. Myrcella slipped off the swing and Tommen picked up the kitten as she and Tyrion approached; both of them looking interested at the sight of Aurelia.

“Aren’t you meant to be at the meeting?” Myrcella asked Tyrion as she gave Aurelia a curious look. 

"Something came up," Tyrion replied carelessly, gesturing to Aurelia. "Or rather, someone." 

Myrcella looked thoughtful but Tommen was blunt. “Who are you?”

“I’m Lady Aurelia Tarth,” Aurelia said, giving them a curtsy. “I’m your cousin.”

“Are you Tyrion’s daughter?” Myrcella asked, looking from her to Tyrion, who gave a small smile.

“No, she’s far too tall to be mine, she’s your Uncle Jaime’s daughter.” Tyrion explained, dismissing the concerned look Aurelia gave him. He could tell that she didn’t expect him to joke about his height but it was what he did best. It was his armour, his protection against the world. Every comment or joke made about him was one he had made himself at some point.

“Uncle Jaime doesn’t have a daughter.” Tommen said. “He’s part of the Kingsguard.”

“He married my mother when he wasn’t part of the Kingsguard,” Aurelia explained. “I only met him today.”

“Why?” Myrcella asked curiously. Jaime had never mentioned having a wife or daughter before and she had noticed different people had been talking about some strange girl but she hadn’t paid much attention to it. 

“It’s complicated, Your Grace, I don’t fully understand it either.” Aurelia explained and Myrcella gave her a smile. "It's one of those 'don't tell the children' situations that is about us but we are not allowed to know."

“You’re our cousin, you don’t have to call us ‘Your Grace’.” Myrcella said kindly. “Your name is Tarth, are you from the Sapphire Isles?”

“Yes, I am,” Aurelia replied, “my mother is Brienne of Tarth and my grandfather is Lord Selwyn Tarth. He’s in the meeting with your father.”

“Where is Uncle Jaime?” Tommen asked looking around; if this stranger was their cousin and their Uncle Jaime's daughter, then where was Jaime to help introduce her?

“He’s talking to your mother,” Tyrion explained, he would definitely pick Jaime’s brain about what happened between him and Cersei. He had his suspicions about his sister and he knew that Jaime was prone to believing Cersei’s lies even when there was plenty of reason not to. 

Aurelia took a seat on the rope swing as their conversation turned to stories about their childhoods; Myrcella and Tommen shared stories about themselves, Joffrey, Tyrion and Jaime and Aurelia shared stories of growing up on Tarth; of jumping off of rocks into the sea, the way the storms howled and bellowed across the night. Tyrion listened to the conversations between the cousins and felt a growing feeling of sentimentality in his chest. Already the three of them were showing a strong familial bond, laughing, joking and talking as if they had known one another for years; as if they had actually grown up together like they should have. He had never had such an experience with any member of his family apart from Jaime. The three cousins looked as if they could have been part of a normal, happy family, three cousins spending a warm summer afternoon together. 

There were very few topics that Tyrion knew little about. Jaime’s marriage had been one of them. It was an experience they had unwillingly shared; both of them had married beneath them and both marriages had ended terribly. In Tyrion’s experience, the whole thing had been a lie, a cruel ruse to mock him with because of course no woman could love him, only his gold. Jaime’s marriage was more complicated; from what Tyrion had heard, the two had actually been in love. Ever since Jaime blurted out the whole tale one night after an obscene number of drinks, Tyrion had always suspected that there had been more to the tale than just Brienne deciding to leave but not this. The comment about the missing letters had set off his suspicions immediately. He refused to believe that his dear sister and beloved father had been absolutely clueless about Aurelia’s existence.  
But for now however, he would enjoy the moment.

“Two ravens have arrived for you My Lady,” 

Brienne took the scrolls and turned them over in her hands. She hadn’t heard word from Selwyn or Aurelia since they had departed for Kings Landing and she would be lying if she claimed that she hadn’t been carrying her concerned thoughts and anxieties around with her. There had been no storms or reported attacks in the seas so she knew that they had at arrived into Kings Landing safely; it was what would happen afterwards that concerned her. The first scroll had her family’s crest on it and she knew it had to be from either her father or daughter. The second scroll she had expected but it was still a surprise to see. A roaring lion meant only one person could be writing to her. She broke the seal and unfurled the letter. The wording was messily written and some of the words were misspelt. She recognised it at once. 

_Brienne_  
I met my douter today. I am not sur why you never tould me about her. She is beutiful and kind and I love her so much. She and your father are happy here. I will look after her, you have my word.  
Jaime 

Brienne felt a flicker of confusion at his second sentence. She had told him, surely all of her letters hadn’t gone amiss. Brienne opened the second letter and read the information from her father. 

_Brienne_  
We have arrived safely in the capital. I met with the king and other lords and I will explain the purposed solutions to the piracy problem. Aurelia is enjoying her time in the capital and there are many here who are pleased to see her. I will keep a close watch on her.  
Selwyn 

Brienne felt some of her worries lessen at her father’s words. He was never one for much tact; preferring to be blunt and pragmatic in his approach. If he said that Aurelia was enjoying herself then she would trust that Aurelia was. Jaime could claim that he loved Aurelia already but she had experienced Jaime’s love before and it didn’t seem to always last very long. Although he had also given his word that he would look after her. 

His word meant everything to Jaime. She recalled how he had despised and ached over the nicknames that had been dubbed across his back; Kingslayer, Oathbreaker, Man Without Honour. He had given his word that he would look after their daughter. 

He had also given his word to Brienne that he had loved her. 

She didn’t fully trust him yet; one letter could not undo sixteen years of hurt. But she would write back, they would have to be civil in order to be good parents. 

Even if a tiny part of her did wish she had been there to see the two of them meet. The same tiny part of her that insisted on holding onto the good memories of Jaime. The tiny part of her that maybe, just maybe, still loved him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A storm rages, a new player enters the game and Brienne receives a letter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this has taken a while due to work being hectic and things just being really busy. Next chapter should be up soon though.
> 
> Tywin's deal basically is that he wanted Jaime to settle down and marry a member of a suitable family i.e. one of the big seven families. Tarth wasn't good enough.

As the sun set, the sky began to darken as steely storm clouds gathered on the horizon. The storm had been building; it had been warmer than usual in Kings Landing, the air was damp and sticky, a good strong storm was needed. It had been five days since Aurelia had arrived in Kings Landing and the previous four days had been spent sitting in the meetings with her grandfather. The meetings had quickly become monotonous with the same discussions over where the pirates were attacking, how they were going to resolve it, who exactly was going to resolve it and how was the resolution going to be supported financially. Aurelia had tried to focus but her concentration easily slipped and although certain words or phrases managed to break into her mind, most of her thoughts were elsewhere. 

She and Jaime had tried to spend as much time together as they could; however the meetings seemed to almost always clash with his duties as a Kingsguard. He was rarely in the room, either standing guard outside or patrolling the Red Keep. Tyrion however did sit in on the meetings and would often give her a smile or a commiserating expression when he noticed her jolt out of a daydream. Thankfully no one thought to ask her any questions so she avoided making a fool of herself. Unlike one of the lords who fell asleep and hit his head off of the table; jolting himself awake with much cursing and laughter. 

As the wind began to pick up, Aurelia remained sitting on the stone wall that overlooked the sea. Waves were crashing against the rocks, the residual spray was splashing onto her feet. Despite the shaky beginning with Queen Cersei, she had been enjoying her time in the capital and with her father and newfound uncle and cousins. However it had been over a week since she had been at home, seen her mother and as the familiarity of a storm rolled in; a wave of homesickness crashed over her with as much strength as the physical wave that followed, drenching her to the skin. This place wasn’t home. Her family were here but it wasn’t home. Home was scraggy cliffs and crashing waves. Home was a familiar, sturdy fortress standing strong against the storms. It was rolling green hills, towering mountains, rustic villages and people who weren’t scheming and vying for power. Home was running onto the beach after a storm or shipwreck to try and scavenge treasures or driftwood that would wash up onto the shore.

Home was her mother, her love and warmth, her protectiveness and kindness. Her mother’s beautiful smile that lit up her face, her laughter that could echo off of the walls. Home was the way that she was always there for Aurelia to talk to. Home was sitting by a roaring fire as the wind howled and rain lashed the windows, listening to her mother’s stories. It was being hugged so tightly that it ached and how her mother could still lift her, even though Aurelia wasn’t much shorter than her. 

She had written to Brienne on her second night, her letter gushing with her excitement and emotions. She hadn’t received a reply yet but Aurelia was certain one would come. Her grandfather had already received a reply to his letter, confirming everything was fine on Tarth and relief that they were safe in the capital. It had come this morning and she had carried this feeling of homesickness with her since. She had been away from Tarth before but never this far or for this long or without her mother. She missed her.

Aurelia wiped her eyes and continued sitting on the wall as the heavens opened and the rain began to fall heavier. She could hear the cries of surprise from other people in the gardens and the sound of people running for shelter. She allowed herself a wry smile. They were no Stormlanders. A true Stormlander would see this for the rainfall that it was. The rain was falling heavier, large droplets that soaked through on impact. It was just rain, water from the sky. It wouldn’t do any harm. As a flash of light lit up the sky, Aurelia began to count. When she reached twenty five and heard a rumble of thunder, she stopped. The storm was twenty five leagues away, they would be fine for now. 

“Aurelia? What are you doing out here?” Jaime called as he appeared at the top of the steps. His hair was plastered to his face and stuck up as he tried to push it away with his hand.

“I was just thinking,” Aurelia replied as Jaime shook his head.

“You can think inside, come on, you’ll catch your death!” Jaime scolded and Aurelia smiled and slipped off the stone, onto the platform and walked towards the stairs. 

“It’s only raining!” Aurelia said as a second flash lit the sky. That had been quicker than she expected. Maybe the storm was closer than she assumed. “Fine.”

They hurried back into the Red Keep. Jaime sighed as he looked at Aurelia. Her hair was plastered to her head and down her shoulders and arms. Her skirt and sleeves were dripping water onto the floor and although her cheeks were pink from the rain, her eyes were surrounded in a different shade of red. Aurelia twisted the loose ends of her sleeves and more water droplets splashed onto the floor. Jaime watched her wring out the hem of her skirt and wrapped his cloak around her. “You’re shivering.”

“No I’m not,” Aurelia argued as her fingers trembled on the hem of the cloak. Not wanting to get into an argument, she looked back towards the gardens as the wind began to pick up and the rain lashed down heavier. Jaime smiled knowingly at her. “What is it?”

“You sounded just like your mother, she was always as stubborn as this.” Jaime replied. “She could argue the sky was green if she wanted to.”

“But it is green sometimes, just before the dawn.” Aurelia countered as Jaime laughed. 

“That’s exactly what I mean, the silly arguments we used to have,” Jaime said, his voice trailing off as he disappeared into his memories. Their playful arguments and bickering, the occasional training fight, he had remarked how they always had to have a good fight. Back then when they thought, the making up was the best part. At least it had been.

“Father?” Aurelia asked after a slightly awkward moment, Jaime’s eyes had glazed over and he had been staring vacantly down the passageway with a soft smile on his face. She knew he had to have been thinking about her mother. She hadn’t dared ask whether he still had feelings for her. She had never dared ask her mother that question. Although she knew there had to be a reason why her mother had always shot down any idea of marriage that went beyond what she already knew about her mother and Jaime’s marriage. 

“Sorry, I was miles away.” Jaime replied, jolting back to the present. “Come along, you need to change out of those clothes, they’re soaked.”

“I’ll be fine,” Aurelia countered. “It’s water. Water dries.” 

“Are you really going to argue with me on this?” Jaime asked and Aurelia contemplated her answer as he laughed and led her down the passageway. “Of course.”

“Why would I argue, we know I would win.” Aurelia countered. “You know who my mother is, she taught me stubbornness as early as she taught me to walk.” 

“Now that I can imagine.” Jaime retorted, trying to mask his hurt at the reminder that he had missed her first steps. He could picture the scene in his head; his toddler daughter stubbornly pushing herself upright, swaying as she set one foot in front of the other, once, twice, then falling into her mother’s arms. A moment he should have been there for. “So is Brienne still stubborn then.”

“Honestly, yes, but Grandfather says she’s not as stubborn as she had been. Only when it was about me. She could compromise on anything else, except for me.” Aurelia explained to a bemused Jaime

“Parents have that habit.” Jaime said as he led her down a passageway. As they rounded the corner, Tyrion walked towards them, his expression darkened, as if he’d been ordered to the gallows.

“Uncle Tyrion, what’s wrong?” Aurelia asked as Tyrion did a double take at her still-dripping dress.

“Why are you soaking wet?” Tyrion asked and Aurelia silently pointed to the window, where the rain was still beating heavily against the glass and the wind screamed. “I see, Jaime we have a problem.”

“What sort of problem?” Jaime asked but the answer rounded the corner and his heart sank. Instinctively Jaime moved to step in front of Aurelia but she had already spotted the problem and the problem spotted her. 

“Move aside Jaime,” Tywin ordered coldly but Jaime stood his ground. Tywin had already cost him Brienne, Jaime would not let Tywin take Aurelia too. 

“It’s alright,” Aurelia said quietly as she looked at Tywin. He was taller than her, about her mother’s height; he had the same green eyes as Jaime but his were like slivers of green glass; hard and cold. His face managed to be both expressionless and condescending as he looked her up and down; taking in her soaked dress, the tendrils of hair that clung to her face, shoulders and arms, her blotchy face and nervous eyes. She had heard of Tywin Lannister; his ruthless ambition, cruel nature and ability to crush anyone who stood in his way. Even before her mother had told her about what Tywin had done to her, Aurelia had been afraid of Tywin Lannister. The children in the Stormlands used to tell stories about Tywin Lannister; how he stole naughty children from their beds in the dead of night and forced them to work in his gold mines. More than once, she had crawled into her mother’s bed in the middle of the night, convinced that Tywin Lannister would abduct her and lock her in a gold mine.

“No,” Jaime said dangerously and Aurelia reached for his hand and squeezed it.

“I’ll be fine, please Father.” Aurelia insisted, the moment she called his father, Jaime stepped aside and she stepped forward. Her mother wouldn’t have cowered in fear before Tywin Lannister. No matter what, she wouldn’t either.

“Aurelia Storm,” Tywin said crisply as Aurelia tightened her grip on her sodden skirts as she made her curtsy and looked at him. She could feel Jaime bristle with rage at the insult; by calling her Storm and not using her title, Tywin was making it clear that in his eyes, she was a common bastard. Not a highborn bastard. Not even Jaime’s bastard. She felt her own temper take over and mischief take control of her tongue. With one word Tywin had insulted her, her mother, her father and her grandfather. No one insulted her family.  
Two could play this game. 

“Grandfather, it is truly an honour to meet you.” Aurelia said in the politest tone she could manage as she swept her sodden skirts along the floor in a diligent, careful curtsy before standing upright and holding her hands over her stomach, the way she had been taught to since early childhood. No one could say that she hadn’t shown the proper respect and diligence to the head of a powerful family and the father of the Queen.

A lady’s courtesy was her armour and hers was Valyrian steel. 

“Grandfather?” Tywin spat the word as if it was poison. “I am not your grandfather, girl.”

“Yes you are!” Jaime argued. “She is my daughter and I am your son. I know you sent Brienne away. You hated her from the moment you saw her, you cost me my child!”

“Enough, I will not discuss this here. My chambers, now.” Tywin ordered and Tyrion reached for Aurelia. Jaime’s hand had clenched into a fist and his golden hand lay useless at his side. If he had had both, both would have been clenched. 

“Come on, we need to get you into a new dress.” Tyrion said but Aurelia shook her head.

“No, I’m going with them,” Aurelia argued. She wanted to know the truth, not to be dismissed like a child in disgrace but Jaime held his arm out.

“Go, do as you’ve been told. You won’t want to see this.” Jaime advised. He had a lot to say and a lot of it wouldn’t be suitable for a young lady’s ears. Even one raised around sailors. 

“Fine, but only because I need to get changed.” Aurelia insisted as Tywin led Jaime away. The moment she had gone, her courage left her and she fell shakily against the wall. She had just done that. She had confronted Tywin Lannister. She had challenged him and been rude. She was definitely going to be locked up in a black cell or sent to one of his gold mines under Casterly Rock. She would never see her mother again. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Probably not, but it’s been said.” Tyrion replied. “Don’t worry, he’s heard worse from the three of us.”

“You heard him, he doesn’t accept me as his grandchild; he could do anything to me! He’ll send me to his gold mines” Aurelia claimed as a wave of horror hit her. “Or he’ll hurt my mother, or Grandfather.”

“Calm yourself, he won’t do anything. He can’t. Everyone at the court saw you and Jaime meet; that sort of information spreads quickly. Most of Westeros knows or will know who you are and most of them enjoy a good story. The young maiden, come to court to find her long lost father; their joyous reunion in front of the King and court. They know you are a Lannister child, of Lannister blood. My father would never do anything to harm a member of his family, even the ones he despises; not if it means damaging our reputation.” Tyrion explained and Aurelia looked at him.

“How do you know that?” Aurelia asked, worriedly. Her first meeting with Queen Cersei had been a disaster; she had just mocked Tywin Lannister. She would be shipped off to the gold mines by midnight.

“Because I’m still alive.” Tyrion said bluntly and Aurelia looked at him startled. She didn’t know what to say to that and Tyrion decided to change the topic. “What did you mean by being sent to a gold mine?”

Aurelia blushed as they climbed up the staircase. “Um, you see, the children in the Stormlands used to tell stories. We’d try to scare one another with tales of monstorous beasts, White Walkers tearing down the Wall, but the one that scared us the most was Tywin Lannister. Some of the adults warned us that if we were really naughty, Tywin Lannister would steal the naughty children from their beds at night and force them to work in his gold mines, mining for all of the famous Lannister gold. There was always some rumoured boy or girl from some village who was snatched away and never heard from again. I was convinced it would happen to me.”

Tyrion had started to laugh halfway through her explanation. “Oh that is perfect. I’ll have to have that one spread around. Tywin Lannister steals naughty children. Trust me, that will not happen to you.”

“If you say so,” Aurelia said as they reached her bedchamber. Her hands were still trembling as she pulled out a dress from her trunk and stepped behind the screen to change. As she fumbled with the damp knots, she wondered what was happening between Jaime and Tywin. 

“You hid my daughter from me!”

Jaime wasted no time, shouting the moment that the door shut behind him. Tywin didn’t respond and instead walked to his desk. 

“I didn’t know that she was pregnant.” Tywin answered carefully but Jaime had had enough.

“You did, you hated her from the moment you met her. I had done what you had asked; I had married a girl from a good family, I was ready to leave the Kingsguard for her; she was carrying my child. You sent her away.” Jaime argued as Tywin held his gaze.

“I did no such thing; she chose to leave.” Tywin retorted as Jaime shook his head.

“No, you sent her away!” Jaime shouted. “You can credit me with some intelligence. You despised Brienne, you hated our marriage, despite me finally doing what you wanted me to do by marrying a woman from a noble family; you and Cersei tormented her and you sent her away!”

“Enough!” Tywin snapped. Jaime shut his mouth but maintained his glare. “I will not have these accusations flung around. Had I had any idea the woman was pregnant, I would have forced her to stay.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Jaime challenged. “You read her letters; you knew she had been pregnant and borne my child. You kept that from me for sixteen years.”

“I knew no such thing,” Tywin lied. It had been an easy secret to keep, there had been many times he had despaired over Jaime’s gullibility but in that instance, it had been useful. Even if it had meant he had redoubled his efforts to stay in the Kingsguard and not do his family duty. Had the girl been a boy there could have been possible uses but there was no value in a bastard girl. 

“Yes you did, someone intercepted her letters. I don’t know what you and Cersei conspired to in the past but if you do anything to hurt or harm my daughter or if you try to send her away; then that will be it. I will leave this family, you will never see me again.” Jaime threatened, knowing the only sort of leverage he had over Tywin was the idea that someday he would resign from the Kingsguard and settle into a suitable marriage and produce heirs. 

Without waiting for Tywin’s answer, Jaime walked out of the room. Before he went to find Aurelia, Jaime decided to do something else first. He would need to speak to Selwyn, then he would need to form a plan.

Two days later, two ravens arrived in Tarth, each one baring a scroll on its leg. Brienne took both of the scrolls and debated which once to read first. One had been sealed with a Tarth stamp, either her father or Aurelia. The second had a Lannister seal. Jaime. Brienne read her father’s letter but before she could decide on his request to let Aurelia stay in Kings Landing a little longer, she decided to read Jaime’s first.

However the letter wasn’t written in Jaime’s untidy and mispelt hand. Instead, the letter was neatly presented, from Tyrion Lannister to:  
_My dear good-sister... _


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A feast, a Connington, Aurelia makes a decision and Jaime definitely doesn't still have feelings for his ex-wife

The talks were over. A plan had been created to combat the piracy in the Narrow Sea and the visitors were due to leave over the course of the next few days. Although she knew it had been coming and despite the homesickness that she had felt for Tarth and for her mother, Aurelia found that she didn’t want to leave Kings Landing just yet. It had only been for two weeks but they had been two of the best and awkward weeks of her life. She had met her father, her uncles, her cousins who had all been friendly and kind to her. There was also her aunt and grandfather’s reaction but after their initial meetings, both Tywin and Cersei seemed to ignore her. Aurelia had observed life at court, listened to various meetings and met a variety of people that she had never expected to meet. She had explored the Red Keep, played in the water gardens with Myrcella and Tommen; spoke for hours with Jaime and Tyrion. Although she still doubted whether she belonged in Kings Landing; she found that she wasn’t ready to leave just yet.

The meetings were to end with a celebratory feast; of course the king didn’t need an excuse to spend a night feasting and drinking, but it was the expectation for departing guests to be celebrated as such. It was expected to be quite the event, lots of food, wine, dancing and entertainment. Myrcella had excitedly shown Aurelia the dress that she planned to wear; a fetching pale pink gown that had been sent to her from Prince Trystane, her intended. Aurelia planned to wear her blue gown; it was her nicest gown and there was no time to get a new one. 

As she joined her grandfather for breakfast that morning, she noticed that he seemed slightly distracted. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Selwyn reassured her, “I’ve received a letter from your mother.”

“What did it say?” Aurelia asked, most of her letters from her mother had been conversational. With the supposed mystery of the vanishing letters from Tarth, she had chosen not to go into too much detail about her time with her father, intending to speak to Brienne when she returned to Tarth.

“Your father has asked whether you would wish to stay a little longer in Kings Landing with him, it’s his Name Day in a few weeks and he wants to spend it with you. I informed him that you would need your mother’s permission. She is happy to let you stay for a few more weeks, if you want to.” Selwyn explained as Aurelia considered his words.   
She had been initially irritated that Jaime and Selwyn had discussed it without asking for her opinion, like she was a piece of furniture that they were sharing before thinking about what he had said. If she wanted to. That was a good question. On the one hand, of course she did, two weeks wasn’t enough time to spend with her father after so many years apart. On the other hand, could she bear to spend another month away from her mother and her real home. Both had their positives and their negatives. If she stayed in the capital; that meant another month under the judgemental gaze of the court, the queen and Lord Tywin. If she returned to Tarth, when would she be able to see her father again.

“Can I have some time to think about it?” Aurelia asked. 

“Of course but you will need to decide soon. We leave tomorrow.” Selwyn reminded as they turned back to their breakfasts. Aurelia picked at her plate as she considered her options. If she stayed in Kings Landing, she would be able to return home at any time, she could send letters to her mother and she would be able to spend Jaime’s Name Day with him. If she returned home, she would be back where she belonged, with her mother. She could possibly go home and return for his Name Day but logistically, it made better sense to stay.

“Would I be able to return home whenever I wanted, if I stayed?” Aurelia asked Selwyn who smiled wisely at her. He knew her mind had already been made up.

“Of course, we’d sail here ourselves to take you home.” Selwyn replied and Aurelia nodded.

“I want to stay. Just for a few weeks.” Aurelia said as Selwyn got up and hugged her. It would only be for a few weeks, then she’d be home again.

By the time night fell that evening; the feast had been well underway. Several courses of delicious food had been served, wine and mead had flowed freely and the tables had been moved away for the dancing. Aurelia had been content to watch the first few dances, mainly danced by couples, including Joffrey and his betrothed, Margaery Tyrell. However the tune that the musicians were now playing was one that the ladies primarily danced to and Myrcella beamed at her and took her hand.

“Dance with me,” Myrcella insisted and Aurelia smiled. Myrcella wasn’t one for playing the Princess Card but she could if she wanted to. Besides, this was one of the few dances Aurelia did know.

“Fine,” Aurelia replied, taking Myrcella’s hand and walking to the dancefloor. The dancers parted for their princess to join them and they stood in the middle, performing the steps to the dance, keeping their hands together, stepping in graceful circles, the occasional jump. Aurelia tried to focus on performing each step right, even though she still felt clumsy and awkward and could sense everyone watching her. She could feel her cheeks burning, not from the dance but from the idea of everyone watching her. When it finally ended, she stepped away from the dancefloor to get a drink and cool her scarlet face. 

“Lady Aurelia,”

Aurelia turned at the voice and looked at the tall red-headed youth standing before her in a squire’s uniform. “Oh. You.”

“I heard that you were here. Heard the rumours about you being the Kingslayer’s daughter. I couldn’t believe it.” Rupert explained as he stepped towards her. Aurelia held her ground and smirked at him.

“Why? Because you thought I was a, what was it, an unwanted bastard of a desperate whore?” Aurelia challenged and Rupert blushed at those words. With his pale, freckled skin and vivid ginger hair, it didn’t make him look any more attractive. He had the arrogance of one who believed he was attractive, the sort who believed he was the fancy of all the young ladies but without the looks or charm to back it up. 

“I didn’t mean those words, we were children then. I’ve grown up since then.” Rupert said, stepping towards her. Aurelia tensed as he took her hand and kissed it. “I am sorry Milady,”

“Thank you for your apology,” Aurelia replied politely as she resisted the urge to wipe her hand on her dress. She couldn’t resist her next words. “Who do you squire for?”

“I was meant to squire for Ser Domeric, may the gods rest him but I’m looking for a new knight.” Rupert explained and paused. “Maybe you can help me.”

“How can I-“ Aurelia began as realisation hit. Of course. He wanted her to introduce him to Jaime as a childhood friend who just so happened needed a knight to squire for. And Jaime would be so impressed by the noble young lad that of course he would permit him to court and marry his only daughter, heir to Tarth, the Sapphire Seas and possibly a share of the Lannister fortune. She had only spent two weeks at court, two weeks observing how to play the game, how others played the game. Aurelia was aware that her value in the marriage market had increased greatly over the past two weeks and of all people, Rupert Connington thought he was worthy of her hand. “I understand.”

“So you’ll do it.” Rupert said, grinning at her. She could see the arrogance in his eyes and knew her suspicions were correct. Well, her aunt’s suspicions. The men and boys only saw her potential as a bride, a stepping stone to their own successes and improvements. But she was the daughter of Brienne of Tarth. A man had to earn her hand, not manipulate her for it.

“I can speak to my father but before I do, I want you to do something for me,” Aurelia said, twisting a lock of hair around her finger, the way she had spotted Margaery Tyrell do when she spoke to Joffrey. Rupert’s grin became more smug as Aurelia stepped closer to him and raised her mouth to his ear. “Go and jump from the tower.” 

Rupert’s grin vanished as quickly as a candle was snuffed and a glower took its place as Aurelia stepped back from him. “You stupid bitch.”

His hand shot out and Aurelia reacted on instinct. Her knee leapt up and met its target between his legs. Rupert fell to his knees, doubled over as he clutched himself and howled with pain. “You ugly bastard bitch, you think I won’t get you back for this? I swear by all the Seven I’ll-“

Rupert’s tirade was cut off by a hand tightly gripping his shoulder. Rupert turned and froze as he stared into enraged emerald eyes. “S-Ser Jaime.”

“Should I assume that you didn’t mean to call my daughter an ‘ugly bastard bitch’?” Jaime challenged as Rupert’s face paled.

“It’s fine, Father.” Aurelia said. “I handled it.”

“No, it’s not fine. You’re my daughter and no one speaks to you that way.” Jaime replied as he turned to Rupert. “Who do you think you are?!”

“He’s Ronnet Connington’s son, he wants to be your squire.” Aurelia offered as Jaime’s eyes flickered with newfound anger. Another Connington who had the nerve to disrespect a Tarth lady and one that he loved and had the nerve that he would give them the time of day; it was intolerable. 

“Absolutely not,” Jaime insisted as he turned to one of the guards standing nearby. “Get him out of my sight.”

As the guards led Rupert away, Jaime walked over to Aurelia. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, just annoyed.” Aurelia replied. “He wanted to use me to become your squire. He wasn’t subtle about it.”

“And before that?” Jaime prompted. “It looked like you were going to kiss him.”

“As if I would do that.” Aurelia retorted, disgusted. “Did you follow me?”

“I wanted to speak to you. I know your grandfather spoke to you about staying here.” Jaime explained as he sat on the barrier of the balcony and looked at her. He looked almost nervous.

“He did, Mother is happy to let me stay here until after your Name Day.” Aurelia replied as she sat next to him. “I do miss her.”

“Of course you do, she’s your mother. It’s natural for you to miss her.” Jaime reassured Aurelia as he put his arm around her. “Especially someone as special as her.”

“She is,” Aurelia smiled as she looked at Jaime. She had noticed the language Jaime used when he mentioned Brienne. It was always kind, almost affectionate. As if he still had some feelings for her. “She always hated events like this. I know she’d hate it if she was here.”

“Definitely. She’d start a fight to get out of it,” Jaime laughed. “Come with me, there’s something I want to show you.” 

Aurelia followed Jaime down into the gardens to take another entrance back into the Red Keep away from the crowds. As they walked through the gardens, they could see different feast guests who had already had too much to drink, stumbling around, singing crude songs and kissing in secluded corners. Jaime led her into his chambers and Aurelia looked around with interest. A large four poster bed against the far wall, several shields and swords on different parts of the wall. Aurelia looked at the shields, wondering what had happened to cause the different chips, cracks and dents on the shields; which ones had been damaged in a tourney, which had been seen a battle, which one had more important for him than others.

“What did you want to show me?” Aurelia asked as Jaime slid shut a drawer on the dark wooden dresser, his hand clenched tightly. 

“This,” Jaime replied as he held out his hand. Aurelia held out her hand and Jaime set the ribbon into her hand. Aurelia looked at the faded and frayed ribbon, its deep blue now reduced to a dull haze. 

“A ribbon?” Aurelia asked as Jaime smiled knowingly at her. He knew that Brienne had told her the story; her dented armour, his stained clothes and bearded face and a ribbon. Two reckless, lovestruck youths who thought they had the rest of their lives to spend together.

“The same ribbon that was bound over mine and your mother’s hands.” Jaime clarified as Aurelia’s eyes widened as she traced it in surprise.

“You still have this?” Aurelia asked, despite holding it in her hands. Her mind was racing with questions, her logical thought was clashing with the childhood romantic. There was a difference between nostalgia and unrequited love. It could have been a reminder, a reminder of what he had loved or a reminder to not be so reckless. It could represent what was, what could have been or what should never have been.

“I couldn’t bear to throw it away. I still remember that morning. I had risen early to train and try to think. I had planned to focus on my marriage to your mother; I had it all planned out in my mind. I would speak to your mother, reassure her that she was the one I loved most and my duty to my wife mattered more than my duty to a king who trusted me as far as he could throw me. We would go to the king together, away from my sister and father and their spies. I needed the time to build my courage. When I returned inside, Cersei and my father were waiting on me. They informed me that I was too late, your mother had sailed for Tarth just an hour before. I sprinted to our chambers, this room. All that remained was that ribbon on this dresser.” Jaime explained as he looked at the ribbon Aurelia was absentmindedly wrapping over and under her fingers. 

“I still don’t know how it went wrong. You both sounded so happy then and when you speak about one another now, there’s no anger, no spite. How did it become this?” Aurelia asked; had there been a huge fall out wherein both still carried rage and hatred then she could understand staying apart. Both of them spoke with the other with fondness, surely it wasn’t just for her benefit; two separated parents wanting to avoid sharing any negative thoughts of the other? They would have said something, anything by now.

“If I knew that, maybe…” Jaime began and trailed off, composing himself. “Well, you just hold onto for that for now.”

“No, it’s yours.” Aurelia said, handing it back to him. Jaime traced his finger over the ribbon before he placed it back into the drawer again. Aurelia walked over and hugged him tightly, pressing her head into his chest. Jaime hugged her back and rested his chin on her head. 

In his life he had done many things that he ought to regret but didn’t. He broke oaths, killed a king, defied his father, destroyed his honour. None of those had ever caused him to lose sleep or feel that sickening, stomach twisting pull of regret. The only thing in his life that he regretted was not what he had done.

It was what he had failed to do. 

The sun was still inching up into the sky as Aurelia walked across the bustling docks beside her grandfather. Already the docks were busy, ships were being loaded and unloaded, sailors were checking and double checking supplies for their journeys. Gulls screeches overheard as cabin boys whistled at the bakers and grocers daughters who were helping load the ships with supplies. There was the occasional beggar or pickpocket lurking at the edges of the crowd, trying to avoid the ever vigilant gaze of the city watchmen. Most of the Red Keep was still asleep, nursing hangovers from a night of revelry but the seas were calm, the wind was fair and it would mean a smoother sail back to Tarth.

As they stood by the steps leading up to the ship, Selwyn turned and smiled fondly at his granddaughter.

“And you’re definitely sure that you will be happy staying, you can come now.” Selwyn reassured as Aurelia forced herself to smile. If she cried, her grandfather would cry too and she didn’t want to leave him with tears.

“I’ll be fine, Father and Uncle Tyrion will look after me. And I know you’re only two days away.” Aurelia replied as she hugged Selwyn. Once he left that would be it, the first time she was away from both her mother and her grandfather. 

“If you need us, we’ll be here even faster.” Selwyn said as he hugged her tightly and pressed a kiss onto the top of her hair. “Don’t be afraid.”

“I’m not afraid,” Aurelia replied as Selwyn smiled at her.

“You’re a terrible liar.” Selwyn said. “Write to your mother, I’ll send a raven when I’m back in Tarth.”

“OK,” Aurelia said, her throat was tightening and she didn’t trust herself to say anything other than, “I love you.”

“I love you too sweet girl,” Selwyn said, giving her one last bone-crushing hug as he looked at Jaime, who had stayed respectfully quiet throughout the scene between grandfather and granddaughter. “Look after my Starlight,”

“Grandfather!” Aurelia whined, embarrassed. He had managed to go the full two weeks without using the childish nickname, he had to have been waiting until the end for this reason.

Jaime chuckled at Aurelia’s reaction before looking seriously at Lord Selwyn. “You have my word. No harm will come to her when she’s here.”

With one last hug from Aurelia and a firm handshake from Jaime, Selwyn boarded the ship and Aurelia stood on the edge of the dock and watched as the ropes mooring the ship to the docks were released and pulled up to allow the ship to edge away from the dock. Selwyn stood on the deck and waved to her. Aurelia waved back until her arms ached and the ship was a little more than a dot on the horizon. She was about to turn away when she spotted Jaime’s face. She saw the pain and remorse in his eyes before she blinked and his grinning, carefree mask was back in place.

“Have you visited the marketplace?” Jaime suggested as he led her away from the docks.

“No, not yet.” Aurelia replied as Jaime smiled at her.

“Well, then that’s what we’re going to do today. My father and your grandfather has far too much gold. I think we should help him with that.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A jousting tournament; a Queen of Love and Beauty, a feast and a long awaited character arrives in Kings Landing.

“Are you sure I should be wearing this?” Aurelia asked Tyrion as they walked towards the royal stands for the jousting tournament. 

“Whyever not? The world knows you’re a Lannister, you may as well show it. Wear it like armour and it will never be used to hurt you.” Tyrion stated, as sagely as someone could having already had his third cup of wine by breakfast. 

“Except by those in the same,” Aurelia muttered as she hitched up her skirt to step up the stairs. Truthfully, she didn’t hate the dress. It was a masterpiece of silk and taffeta, tailored to fit her perfectly with delicate golden and silver embroidery detailing crescent moons and sunbursts brightening the scarlet hue of the dress. It was finer than any other dress she had ever had and the delicate silver necklace with tiny sapphires only added to the finery that she wore. It was a dress that sent a message; Aurelia was Jaime’s daughter, a Lannister and not anyone could question it anymore. 

“Exactly,” Tyrion stated as Bronn strutted up to him and whistled to get his attention. “Bronn, what is it?”

“Something’s arrived for you.” Bronn replied. “And I’m not your messenger by the way.”

Tyrion rolled his eyes and tossed Bronn a small bag of gold. “Now you are.”

“Aye, now I am.” Bronn quipped as he smiled cheekily at Aurelia. “My lady,”

“Ser Bronn,” Aurelia replied politely before turning to Tyrion. “Will you be long?”

“I’ll be back before you know it.” Tyrion reassured as he walked off with Bronn. Aurelia continued up the steps and approached a seat beside Myrcella and Tommen. Cersei begrudgingly nodded at Aurelia who gave a curtsy and took her seat. Myrcella and Tommen smiled at her and at the other side of Cersei, Joffrey was sitting and scowling; having been forbidden from taking part in the joust. King Robert was sat in his throne with Cersei on one side and Stannis on the other with a large goblet in his hand. 

“Who do you think will win?” Tommen asked Myrcella and Aurelia as the competitors began riding out onto the field.

“Hopefully my father,” Aurelia replied as Myrcella smiled hopefully.

“Him or Ser Loras,” Myrcella said, turning her head to where Ser Loras had ridden up to his sister and handed her a red rose. “He does that every time.”

“Gives the prettiest girl a rose,” Aurelia explained to Tommen as she smiled. “My mother beat him once.”

“Really?” Tommen asked, surprised.

“I was about eight or so. She entered in secret and Prince Renly told me not to tell anyone. She defeated every man in the tournament until Ser Loras was left. He was furious when my mother won and revealed herself.” Aurelia explained as the melee began. 

It was a mess of galloping horses, clashes and clangs of shields and weaponry, whinnying of spooked or injured horses, the cheers and groans of the crowds as their different chosen favourites either triumphed or crashed out. There was a particularly loud scream from the crowd as an enraged and crashed out Gregor Clegane drew his sword and beheaded his horse. Tommen turned green and Myrcella shielded her eyes. Aurelia felt sick and was relieved to spot Tyrion approach out of the corner of her eye. 

“Every time,” Tyrion muttered, glancing at the sight. The Mountain was always more monster than man and no one needed a reminder of the savage brutality of the man. “Where’s Jaime?”

“He’s over there,” Aurelia pointed, trying to avoid the attendants who were scraping away the remains of the dead horse. Sure enough Jaime was still mounted on his horse and she could see the young man squiring for him fumble with Jaime’s golden hand and seemed to be switching it for another. “What’s he doing?”

“It’s his tourney hand,” Myrcella explained. “Uncle Jaime has a weird second hand that can hold weapons. They slot in and stay in place.”

“It looks like a mount for a sword or hook.” Aurelia said. Tyrion smirked and she understood. “It is.”

“It works, watch and see.” Tyrion said as the jousting began. Aurelia settled back in her seat and watched as competitors paired up and took turns charging at one another. Although she didn’t recognise all of the sigils on their shields, it was still interesting to watch. Jaime easily defeated his opponents and Aurelia sat forward at the sight of one of the shields that contained a crescent moon. Its rider was masked, until having been unhorsed by Ser Meryn, revealing a dark haired man that she had never seen before.

Foolish. It had been a foolish thought. Her mother was leagues away, halfway across the sea. However she was unable to stop the feeling of disappointment in her stomach. It was a reckless fantasy to imagine her mother coming to Kings Landing; the romanticism of the idea of her mother returning, knocking Jaime from his horse and the two of them reuniting on a tourney field both similar and unlike how they had met long ago. She had missed Brienne so much, it felt like a constant stomach ache or as if there was part of her missing; like a part of her had already returned to Tarth whilst the rest of her remained in the capital. 

“Aurelia, look!” Myrcella said excitedly, jolting Aurelia from her thoughts. Had she been more focused, she would have spotted the flickering knowing smile on Tyrion’s face as he observed his eldest niece. Aurelia turned back to the jousting field; there were just two competitors left; Jaime and Ser Loras. The crowd was getting excited; two of the best knights in the seven kingdoms; Loras was young and strong but Jaime was not to be underestimated. Both rode to the end of the field and turned their horses. Their visors covered their faces as the horses charged towards the other. 

Their lances raised and with a powerful crack and a resounding crash; Ser Loras was flung onto the ground, clutching his obviously aching shoulder. Jaime rode over and offered Loras his hand, helping pull him to his feet. Loras removed his helmet and although he looked disappointed, he managed to smile for the cheering crowds. Jaime tugged the lance from the fake hand’s grip and made a show of removing the false limb and letting it fall to the floor before leading his horse over to the royal stands, grinning at Aurelia and bowing his head to the royal family.

“Congratulations Ser Jaime,” King Robert said as a server stepped forwards with a plump velvet cushion in his hands. Lying carefully on top of the cushion was a crown of winter roses; the delicate blue petals intertwined the stems freed of any thorns and twisted together. “As the victor, you may crown your Queen of Love and Beauty.”

The crowd cheered and many women in the front rows eagerly smiled at Jaime. Due to having been sworn to the Kingsguard, his Queen of Love and Beauty would not be someone he wished to court, rather she would be the one who he loved above all others. Although most Queens of Love and Beauty were the victor’s target of admiration, it was also common for sisters and daughters to be chosen; after all there was more than one type of love. Cersei smirked to herself as Jaime turned towards her. The smirk vanished as he rode past her and stopped in front of Aurelia.

“I name my beloved daughter, Lady Aurelia of House Tarth, my Queen of Love and Beauty; as not since her mother have I known such beauty in my life nor felt such love until she came into my life.” Jaime announced theatrically as he beamed at his daughter.

“Step forward so he can crown you,” Tyrion advised and with all eyes on her, Aurelia stood and stepped forward, lowering her head to allow Jaime to crown her. The crowd cheered and applauded and whispered amongst themselves as she fixed the crown on her head. As Aurelia turned to sit back in her seat, she caught sight of Tywin and Cersei and she understood.

She understood why she had been bedecked in a gown of scarlet silk, embroidered with the sigils of her mother’s house in gold with sapphires around her neck; the crown of winter roses just confirmed it. She was emblazoned with the colours of both her houses. Jaime had rode and jousted at his best to ensure that he would win and with his speech, he was announcing to the world just how much he loved his daughter as well as how much he had loved Brienne in the past. It was the biggest insult that he could throw to his own family and made it clear to Aurelia and to everyone, who he would choose if he had to. 

It was theatrical. 

It was scandalous. 

It was strangely endearing. 

It was Jaime Lannister all over. 

“I knew Uncle Jaime would crown you,” Myrcella said happily as Aurelia sat beside her. “I hope I’ll be named Queen of Love and Beauty someday.”

“You definitely will,” Aurelia reassured her. Myrcella was young but she knew that her cousin would grow into her beauty and with her betrothal to Prince Trystane coupled with the Dornish penchant for romance; Myrcella would have many a crown of winter roses to wear. 

Later that day, the royal family sat together for their afternoon meal. There was another grand feast planned for that evening to celebrated Cersei and Jaime’s birthday but this was a private family celebration. As private as a meal involving over a dozen people could be. Aurelia was sat between Jaime and Tyrion and across from Prince Renly who smiled warmly at her as they were served their food. 

“It was an impressive tournament, however there’s still one that’s not yet been outdone in my eyes.” Renly said, smiling at Aurelia who smiled back despite the twist of homesickness she felt in her stomach. 

“I hope Ser Loras doesn’t still hold any bad feelings about it.” Aurelia replied politely and Renly laughed.

“Well, it’s better to not mention it in front of him. How is your mother? I’ve not seen her in a long time.” Renly asked and Aurelia smiled, sensing rather that seeing Cersei focus her attention from her conversation with Tywin to listen in. 

“She’s well, Your Grace, I received a letter from her just yesterday. She and my grandfather report that everything is well on Tarth and she’s pleased to hear that I’m happy in the capital.” Aurelia explained. She had written back to Brienne but she knew that she wouldn’t hear a reply just yet. 

“And will you be staying for much longer?” Renly asked, a twinkle in his eye suggesting that he knew exactly what he was doing with his questioning as Cersei’s grip on her goblet tightened and Tywin held his knife as if preparing himself to stick it into someone.

“I should be returning to Tarth soon. I have loved my time here but it is my homeland, my future. I just hope that I would be welcome to return and visit.” Aurelia stated as Jaime smiled indulgently at her. 

“Of course you would be. Never think that you wouldn’t.” Jaime reassured. “You will always have a place here.”

A loud screeching of wood against stone ground all talk in the room to a halt and Margaery delicately placed her hands over her ears. Cersei drew herself to her feet and left the room without a word. Aurelia watched her go and missed the wink that passed between Tyrion and Renly. Jaime placed his hand over Aurelia’s in comfort.

“Don’t worry about her, she’ll calm down.” Jaime reassured as he stuck his fork into the portion of mutton on his plate. Aurelia watched him attempt to hack the meat into pieces before she took the plate and cut it for him without a word. “Thank you.”

When the meal was finally over, Aurelia and Myrcella walked to Myrcella’s chambers to prepare for the feast that evening. There was little much to do apart from have Myrcella’s handmaidens gently apply some make up and perfume and instead they chatted about the feast; who would be dancing with who, what songs would the musicians play, were they to dance together again. 

“Practise with me,” Myrcella instructed as she stood up. Aurelia stood and practised a couple of dances with her. She was still awkward on her feet, mixing up her rights and lefts and wanted to just sit and read one of the books Tyrion had given her about the kings of Westeros. 

“I can’t do it.” Aurelia complained as Myrcella raised an eyebrow, increasing her resemblance to Cersei. 

“You’ll have to. You’re the Queen of Love and Beauty; traditionally the dancing begins with the victor of the tournament and his chosen Queen. Plus all of the young lords are going to want to dance with you tonight.” Myrcella reminded her and Aurelia groaned.

“Fantastic.” Aurelia muttered sarcastically. 

“What about that boy you mentioned last time? The squire?” Myrcella asked and Aurelia gave an unladylike snort.

“Rupert Connington? He’s a joke of a boy. He only spoke to me because he wanted to squire for my father. Besides, he called me something that I won’t repeat in front of you.” Aurelia said and Myrcella shook her head.

“I grew up with Uncle Tyrion; I’ve heard every sort of curse word. What did he call you?” Myrcella asked and Aurelia shook her head, her hands instinctively rising to protect her crown. She hadn’t taken it off all day. 

“The unwanted bastard of a desperate whore.” Aurelia quoted. “So you can imagine why I’m not desperate for him to ask for my hand.”

“That’s horrible and it’s not true. Uncle Jaime was married to your mother; I heard my mother yelling about it with Grandfather.” Myrcella replied as her cheeks turned pink. “I don’t think I should have said it.”

“Maybe not but I’m glad you did.” Aurelia said. “It’s always better to be honest. Now, let’s try that dance again. I think I’ve almost perfected it.”

The remainder of the afternoon passed quickly and before they knew it; it was time for the feast to begin. Aurelia and Myrcella walked down to the great hall together and were announced at the same time. The rest of the royal family were already there and Jaime was waiting for Aurelia, taking her arm as they walked around the room. They spoke to different noblemen and Aurelia realised that Jaime’s grip tensed protectively when any young man glanced at Aurelia. One of them, a Hightower possibly, smiled at her and Jaime’s fingers tightened around her arm. 

The feast continued like any other, food was served, wine was drunk, conversation was had and the musicians finally took their place for the dancing to begin. Jaime led Aurelia onto the dancefloor and gave her a reassuring smile as the music began. Aurelia was grateful for Myrcella’s insistence that they practise their dancing. Each step was performed as best as she could with all eyes on her and Jaime but after a minute or so, she relaxed into the dance and focused on being in the moment. She was dancing with her father at a royal feast celebrating his and the Queen’s birth. This was a moment she had dreamt of so many times that it didn’t seem real.

Had they not been so caught up in the moment, both Jaime and Aurelia might have noticed the woman watching them from the alcoves in the room; taking a moment to watch the father and daughter dance happily before she set off to her task at hand.

_Soon…_

By the time their dance ended, other couples and dancers took to the floor. Aurelia spotted Lady Margaery and Joffrey taking to the floor and Ser Loras offering to dance with Myrcella. Aurelia took a drink as Jaime spoke to some men he knew. As she watched, the Hightower boy who had smiled at her walked up to her.

“Lady Aurelia, may I have this dance?” He asked politely as he kissed her hand.

“You may, what is your name?” Aurelia asked and the boy smiled at her.

“Henry Flowers, son of Humphrey Hightower. I’m squire for my cousin, Ser Loras.” Henry explained as he led her out onto the floor. They spoke as they danced and Aurelia was charmed by him. He was quite handsome, tall with wavy brown hair and amber coloured eyes. They were both sixteen and he made her laugh as he pointed out a nobleman who had already passed out drunk, much to the annoyance of his wife. As the song ended, Jaime appeared at her shoulder.

“You need to come with me,” Jaime said and Aurelia looked at him, concerned and slightly embarrassed.

“Why? What’s happened?” Aurelia asked and Jaime tried to smile, the smile faltering as he spotted Henry.

“Tyrion has something he wants to show us. And you are?” Jaime asked as Henry swallowed and nodded his head respectfully.

“Henry Flowers, Ser Jaime. I was just dancing with Lady Aurelia.” Henry explained politely as Aurelia felt the embarrassment grow. It was just a dance yet Jaime was looking at Henry as if he had announced that he and Aurelia were to elope to Essos. 

“And now you’re finished. Aurelia come with me.” Jaime instructed as Aurelia smiled at Henry.

“Thank you for the dance,” Aurelia said as Henry kissed her hand again, his lips lingering on the back of her hand for a moment too long as his amber eyes sparkled at her. Aurelia tried to dismiss it as she followed Jaime across the hall. A boy like that probably danced and kissed the hands of all the girls. “Where are we going?”

“Tyrion just said to come out to Myrcella and Tommen’s gardens.” Jaime replied. “He seemed too eager to show both of us his surprise.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Aurelia asked; her name day gift for Jaime had been simple enough; a new dagger from the street of steel. She wasn’t exactly sure what Tyrion’s gift would be if both of them needed to see it. 

“Well, if he wants you to see it then I know it’s not a gift from Littlefinger’s brothel.” Jaime quipped as an impossible thought sprang into his mind. No. Of course not. Tyrion would have told him that. 

As they walked through the archway into the garden where Aurelia first met Tommen and Myrcella; they could see nothing out of the ordinary; just Tyrion waiting on them. There was an excited smile on his face as Jaime and Aurelia approached. “There you are!”

“Yes, what did you want to show us?” Jaime asked, looking around. He was doubtful of what could be so important that Tyrion had insisted that both of them join him in the gardens. There was a reckless thought in his mind but Jaime dismissed it. She couldn’t be here. She wouldn’t have come. 

“Close your eyes,” Tyrion instructed, still smiling at them. “Just do it.”

Aurelia and Jaime closed their eyes, deciding it was easier to go along with Tyrion’s wishes than argue with him. They managed to resist the urge to steal a peek as they heard Tyrion walk across the garden before a second set of footsteps joined him. They could sense someone standing before them, silently watching the two of them before finally Tyrion spoke, with a soft gentleness neither Jaime nor Aurelia had heard before.

“Open your eyes.”

Aurelia opened her eyes and her jaw dropped at the sight of the woman standing before her. This had to be a dream, it couldn’t be real. The woman standing before her was tall, dressed in a gown of deep teal silk with flowers embroidered at the waist stretching over the bodice. Her hair, normally held in a short practical braid was loose and rested over her bare, left shoulder. There was little cosmetics on her face and instead her sapphire eyes were shining as she beamed at Aurelia and Jaime. Tears threatened to spill over Aurelia’s eyes as she leapt forward and launched her arms around the woman’s waist, burying her head into her shoulder, breathing in the scents of saltwater, roses and home. The woman’s arms wrapped around her as she gently stroked Aurelia’s hair, kissing the top of her head before she looked at Jaime.

Jaime was dumbfounded at the sight of her. After all these years and she looked just as beautiful as the day he had lost her. Her hair was longer and he could see the curves that were carefully enunciated by the expert tailoring of her dress. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, his mind racing to process the thoughts and emotions that had slowly been unfurling since the day he had met Aurelia. Questions, apologies, confusion, wonder, joy and love all rushed through his head as he tried to say something anything. After a moment, he managed to say one word. Her name.

“Brienne,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know most authors are including the Emmy dress at every opportunity in their work but I wanted to have Brienne wear the MIdsummer Night's Dream dress because it felt too much to have her rock up in Lannister colours.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reunion, a dance and everything falls apart.

“Hello Jaime,” Brienne said as she smiled at him. After all these years, he was as handsome as he had ever been. She had been reluctant to come to the capital but when Tyrion had informed her of how happy Aurelia and Jaime were (and admittedly how furious Tywin and Cersei were), she knew she had to come. She was relieved that she had. 

“What are you doing here?” Aurelia asked, stepping back and keeping a tight hold on Brienne’s arms and looking at the dress. She had never seen her mother wear a gown as beautiful as this and whispered to her. “Are you actually wearing a corset?”

“It’s happened before,” Brienne replied quietly as she fixed Aurelia’s crown of blue roses. “Have you enjoyed yourself?”

“Of course I have but I can’t believe you’re here.” Aurelia said, waiting for Brienne to be an apparition and disappear when she blinked. But she blinked and Brienne was still there.

“How did you arrange this?” Jaime asked Brienne and Tyrion. 

“We’ve been in contact for a few weeks, I could see how happy you both were and with her time coming to an end, it made sense to invite Lady Brienne to escort her daughter home.” Tyrion replied with a knowing glint in his eye. 

“Plus we decided there were some things that needed to be discussed in person.” Brienne added more seriously. They needed to sit down properly, her and Jaime and work out what had happened between them all those years ago and the time in between. 

“My family.” Jaime surmised. “We can speak here, no one will disturb us.”

“We can’t speak now, the feast is for you and your sister. They’ll notice that you’re gone.” Brienne advised. “When they’re too deep in their cups, we’ll speak then.”

Jaime considered this and a reckless idea burst into his mind. A reckless idea that, much like his other reckless ideas, was one of his best ideas. “We can speak then but you are a visiting noblewoman and the mother of the queen’s niece; they should know that you’re here.”

“Jaime don’t even think about it.” Brienne warned as Jaime grinned at her. She still knew him so well. It was almost like they had never been apart.

“If they have nothing to hide then they’ll have nothing to say.” Jaime stated fairly. They had never danced together but there had been many times when their fights had been a dance of its own. 

“Father’s right,” Aurelia piped up. Now that they were face to face, she could see the affection that her parents still had for one another. If this was to be their one chance, then they had to take it. They had spent sixteen years wondering what could have happened; now it was their time. 

“This isn’t a joke Jaime,” Brienne said, trying to ignore the long forgotten flutter in her stomach that Jaime could set off with just a smile. 

“I never said it was,” Jaime replied, offering her his arm. “We never did dance together.”

“One dance,” Brienne decided, taking Jaime’s arm, their skin shivering at the touch. Both of them smiled at Aurelia before smiling at one another and walking back towards the hall. Aurelia beamed at Tyrion and hugged him tightly.

“You’re the best!” Aurelia said joyfully as they followed Jaime and Brienne inside. She had always dreamed of her parent’s reunion and it was playing out as perfectly as she had dreamt of it. Nothing could ruin it. 

Brienne held her head high as she and Jaime crossed the gardens and back into the hall. She had been too excited to see Aurelia and Jaime to be nervous about potentially facing the court. Now that it was happening, she was determined to see it through. They had nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to hide. It felt like no time had passed; she and Jaime were the same people they had been sixteen years ago and yet so entirely different. His brash confidence in himself had mellowed as she had accepted who she was and her place in the world. As they approached the hall, the sound of music and conversation reached their ears and Jaime tightened his hold on her arm as Brienne smiled bravely at him.  
This was no different to any of their previous battles. Her emerald gown was her armour, her confidence and love were her weapons. This was a battle and she had come to win.  
As Jaime and Brienne entered the hall, they were immediately noticed by the lords and ladies, many of whom either recognised Brienne by sight or had enough sense to realise who would be the cause of the happy looks on both the Kingslayer and his daughter’s faces. The musicians stopped playing as conversations turned from what the nobility had been discussing to the unfolding scene at hand. The sound of a shattering goblet was the only indication that Cersei had spotted Brienne as Tywin’s fists tightened and curls as Jaime, Brienne and Aurelia walked towards them. Tyrion hung back beside Bronn who handed him a full goblet of wine. 

Time for the fireworks to begin.

“Father, Cersei, you remember Lady Brienne,” Jaime announced cockily, challenging both of them with his gaze. 

“It is a pleasure to be back in Kings Landing.” Brienne added politely, maintaining her gaze. The skittish, nervous young woman of her youth was gone. She knew who they were, what they were and all they had stolen from her and Jaime. “I’m pleased to see how well you have welcomed my daughter into your family.”

“Lady Brienne, we had not been informed of your arrival.” Tywin said finally. Aurelia was watching eagerly and noticed the venom in Cersei’s eyes. If looks could kill; all three of them would be lying dead on the floor. 

“Lord Tyrion invited me, it was to be a surprise for Aurelia and Jaime.” Brienne replied smoothly, wondering how she had ever managed to be afraid of Tywin Lannister. 

“Yes, the sudden return of a former wife sounds like an excellent Name Day gift.” Cersei added spitefully, anger boiling in her blood. 

“Almost as good as being the Queen of Love and Beauty.” Jaime retorted easily. “Oh, wait.”

Gods! Aurelia thought to herself. That remark was a little below the belt. Indeed Cersei’s face flushed with rage but Tyrion, sensing the impending bloodshed, downed his goblet of wine in one and walked over to his family. 

“Now, now, Jaime. It’s rude to insult someone on their Name Day. Why don’t you take to the floor again. Musicians, play for us!” Tyrion instructed as the musicians began to play a familiar tune. One Tyrion had instructed them play at his command. As the familiar notes of _The Bear and the Maiden Fair_ began to play; Jaime led Brienne out onto the floor. As they danced, other couples began to join them on the floor again. Aurelia grinned at the reason for Tyrion choosing the song and once again, she could Henry’s eye. He was dancing with a little girl, only about five or six, letting her stand on his feet to get the steps right. Henry grinned back at her but carried on dancing with his little partner as Aurelia’s gaze turned back to Jaime and Brienne. 

She was too far away to hear their conversation but their occasional glances in her direction gave her some hint that some of the conversation had to be about her. As she watched her parents dance and she was certain that she was not imagining the looks of affection in their eyes, an idea came into her mind. Of course, they would be unsure about how to  
feel about the other after so much time apart but if she showed Brienne the ribbon; the ribbon that Jaime had held onto for all this time; it would confirm that his love had never abated for her. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” Cersei hissed as Aurelia looked at her unblinkingly. She needed to lie and quickly.

“I need the privy,” Aurelia lied. “Pardon me, Your Grace.”

Aurelia slipped through the crowds and out into the passageway. Aurelia walked in the direction of the privy, in case she was being followed but hesitated at the obvious sounds she could hear coming from inside. She was young but wasn’t naïve enough to not know what those moans and gasps meant. Aurelia blushed and turned down another passage, waiting until she was certain that she wasn’t being followed before rushing in the direction of Jaime’s chambers. 

“You know Tyrion asked them for this song,” Brienne stated as Jaime grinned at her. He hadn’t been able to stop smiling since he had seen her. Now that she was here, in his arms, all of those feelings had finally been unleashed. 

“I would have been disappointed if he hadn’t.” Jaime replied as a sudden realisation caused his smile to flicker. “So what happens now? Aurelia was going to return to Tarth with you.”

“That was the plan. She would always have my permission to come and see you.” Brienne reassured as Jaime looked seriously at her.

“I wasn’t just talking about her visiting me; what about me coming to visit you?” Jaime asked, almost shyly as Brienne tightened her grip on his hand.

“You would always be welcome on Tarth. She’s your daughter, I wouldn’t keep her from you. Not anymore.” Brienne said as the song ended and the next song began.

Aurelia slipped into Jaime’s chamber, relieved that the door had been left unlocked. Moonlight shone through the windows and provided just enough light for her to make out the dresser in the dark. Aurelia opened each drawer, finding all of them empty until she reached the last one. As she fumbled for the ribbon, her fingers traced against wax seals and parchment. Aurelia pulled out the ribbon and reached back into the drawer. She wasn’t always so nosy but she was curious to see which letters had been hidden away like this. Aurelia pulled out the four scrolls and wandered over to the window to examine them. 

“What in the Seven…” Aurelia breathed as she examined the letters. In the pale light of the moon, she could see that three of them were old. Very old. The parchment had yellowed further and was delicate to the touch. The fourth was newer but clearly not a recent letter. All four of them had their seals broken in half but she recognised them at once.

Sunbursts and crescent moons.

Tarth. 

Aurelia clutched them in her hand as she dashed out of Jaime’s chambers; hiding herself in an alcove, Aurelia unfurled the letters, her heart pounding in her chest. She recognised the handwriting at once. Her mother’s handwriting. And her own.  


_ Dear Jaime_  
This is a letter I never thought I’d have to write. One I never wanted to write, especially how things ended between us. There is no easy way to say it except like this: we have a daughter. I was with child when I returned to Tarth and all throughout my pregnancy I debated about telling you. Now she’s here and she’s so beautiful. I’ve not chosen a name for her. We also need to know will she have your name or mine? It’s a lot to take in, I know, but if you do not wish to let her have your name, then I will petition the King to legitimise her in my name.  
Brienne

__

_Dear Ser Jaime_  
You did not respond to my letter. So I have made the decision to petition the king. With his blessing, our daughter will be Lady Aurelia Tarth. That’s the name I chose for her; it suits her. She’s already grown so much. She will be after myself in our family’s line of succession. You are still welcome to come to Tarth and meet her. She enchants everyone who meets her. I would like to think that despite everything, you will love her.  
Lady Brienne 

__

_Jaime_  
She’s ill. The pox. The maester’s are unsure if she will survive. Come to Tarth. You need to meet her before she dies. She’s six. She needs to know her father. She needs to know that he loves her. Come. Come quickly. Come now. Before we lose her.  
Brienne 

__

_Dear Ser Jaime_  
This is a difficult letter to write but also one I’ve always wanted to write. My mother, Lady Brienne of Tarth, told me that you were my father and gave me permission to write to you. My name is Aurelia Tarth, I’m fifteen years old and I’m your daughter. I have so many questions that I want to ask you that I don’t even know where to begin. I want to get to know you, I’ve heard so much about you in my mother’s stories but I want to know the real you. I hope that you will write back to me.  
Lady Aurelia Tarth 

__

So there they were. All four of the letters that had been sent to Jaime throughout the years. The four letters that had gone unanswered. They had been here all this time. Hidden away in a drawer and forgotten. Realisation sank in as Aurelia’s blood ran cold. She had been so caught in her happiness and excitement that the fears she had forgotten returned in full force. 

__

Jaime had always known about her.

__

And he hadn’t cared.

__

Was it all a lie? Had everyone just been laughing at her? What a stupid, naïve, foolish girl she was. The daft, mindless islander so desperate for her father’s love that she was blind to the truth? Aurelia’s mind was racing with disjointed, nonsensical thoughts. Her emotions were crashing and clashing until one won out. Anger. 

__

Once, just once, she wanted to know the full truth. No more fairy tales. No more euphemisms. No more sugar-coating. No more hiding behind subtle glances and draped words. No more treating her like a child. Aurelia wrapped the ribbon around the letters and stormed off towards the hall once more. 

__

“Where has she gone?” Brienne asked, looking around. She and Jaime had danced together for several songs. Aurelia had disappeared somewhere and they hadn’t seen her for some time. 

__

“I’m not sure, as long as she’s not with that boy.” Jaime quipped as Brienne shook her head fondly.

__

“She’s sixteen, Jaime.” Brienne reminded. “As long as he is honourable, there’s nothing to worry about.” 

__

“I don’t trust him.” Jaime stated as he spotted Aurelia walking towards them and he grew concerned at her expression. “What’s wrong?”

__

“These. You had these the whole time.” Aurelia said as she held out the scrolls. Jaime looked perplexed and looked at her.

__

“What are those?” Jaime asked as Brienne looked from the letters to Jaime.

__

“Our letters.” Brienne answered. “Where did you find them?”

__

“In his chambers. In the same drawer where your ribbon was. He had them the whole time. He knew this whole time!” Aurelia retorted, her voice growing louder as her anger took hold. A few others began to look in their direction as Jaime shook his head.

__

“I’ve never seen those in my life.” Jaime insisted as he unfurled the letters, reading their contents before looking up at the hurt expressions on Brienne and Aurelia’s faces. Jaime looked up and caught Cersei’s eye. He saw the smug glint in her eye. And he knew. “She put them there.”

__

“Your sister. You’re saying that Cersei had these letters and just happened to hide them in your chambers?” Brienne asked sceptically.

__

“I know she did.” Jaime insisted as he glanced around. “We should discuss this outside?”

__

“Why?” Aurelia challenged, the volume of her voice increasing with each word. “Are you ashamed? Don’t you want them to see the show?!”

__

“Aurelia, calm yourself. Let’s go.” Brienne stated; taking both of their arms and leading them back out to the gardens. She hadn’t wanted to suspect this but maybe she had been blinded by nostalgia and the idea that maybe she and her daughter could be loved by Jaime. “Jaime, explain yourself.”

__

“I swear to you, I’ve never seen these letters before in my life. You know me, you both know me. I would have been with you if I could. If I had read those letters, I would have been there. I love you. I love both of you. I don’t know what’s going on but I know what they’ve done.” Jaime explained, gesturing towards the Red Keep as the full implication of the situation hit him. He had suspected it but now the truth had been confirmed and the reality of what had happened hit him with the force of a brick. 

__

They had known. For nearly seventeen years they had lied to him, they had hidden the truth, his family, from him. They had mocked him with biting comments about leaving the Kingsguard to find a suitable wife and have children; all with the knowledge of his wife and daughter beyond the sea. They kept him from experiencing the joys they had experienced as parents; those first precious moments of life. That angelic first wail of a newborn; the first gummy smile, the babbled first words, the staggering first steps, the marvel of watching your child grow and learn and explore and delight and cry, the embraces, kisses, the smiles, the tears; all of it. He hadn’t watched his daughter grow up. He hadn’t had a hand in making her the young lady she was today. She had a Lannister face but there was none of the Lannister underneath. She was her mother’s daughter. Not his.

__

“How could they have done this?” Aurelia asked finally. She wasn’t sure what to believe. The signs pointed to Jaime lying to her and Brienne but the reaction he had shown; the passion in his speech, his silent horror at the full realisation of what he had lost due solely to his family’s selfishness; no one could be that good of a liar. 

__

“There’s a lot of reasons why but the fact remains that they have done this. We can’t undo what they’ve done. So what are we going to do about it?” Brienne asked as Jaime gathered himself and looked earnestly at them.

__

“I meant every word that I said. I love you. Both of you. Aurelia, I’ve loved you from the moment I realised that you were Brienne’s daughter and being your father is the greatest joy I’ve ever known. Brienne, I’ve always loved you, I never stopped loving you. I just didn’t realise it until any of this happened.” Jaime confessed, finally unburdening his heart of the emotions it had been carrying for so long.

__

Ever the strategist and the pragmatic, Brienne decided to not let Jaime’s confession detract from the matter at hand. “I love you too Jaime but we can talk about that later. For now, my previous question still stands. What are we going to do about it?”

__

There was a moment of silence before Aurelia spoke. “I think I might have an idea.”

__


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime makes his choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really struggled with the ending to this story. I'm my own worst critic but I hope you like it.

“Are you sure that you want to do this?” Brienne asked Jaime as they sat on the balcony outside his room. They had spent the past few hours talking, debating and vetoing plans and ideas. Aurelia’s initial idea of just completing a moonlight flit had been dismissed. Jaime wanted to show the world the injustice that had been done to them. Their relationship had been torn apart by his family’s focus on their name, reputation and legacy. The perfect thing to use against them.

Jaime gave her a reassuring smile as he took her hand. “I’ve wanted to do this for seventeen years.”

“There’ll be no going back from this, you realise that? You won’t be able to change your mind.” Brienne reminded him for the fifth time since they had finalised their plan.

“I don’t want to. I can never forgive them for what they did. They took you and Aurelia from me. We could have had years together, raised our daughter together. Who knows how many more children we would have had by now? We could have been a family.” Jaime replied; those were the thoughts that had hounded him ever since he had met Aurelia and discovered what he had lost. He still imagined that large, rambunctious house with at least seven children. However they could no longer dwell on the past and the missed opportunities. They had to focus on the present and the future.

“What was it you told me once? Six children would be enough.” Brienne asked and Jaime laughed.

“It was a dozen, we whittled it down to seven.” Jaime recalled, glancing back into his chambers to where Aurelia was lying asleep on the bed; exhausted from the day’s events and giving Brienne and Jaime the chance to speak privately. 

“Not seven, we probably would have had three. Four at most.” Brienne reasoned, four was a suitable number. 

“As many as we could have.” Jaime reasoned, considering the fact that they weren’t as young as they once were. The ideal time for having their fictitious army of children would have been over the past number of years. It wouldn’t be impossible, just less likely. All pregnancies carried risks but the older a mother was, the higher the risk. He knew he was getting ahead of himself but this was now a real possibility in their future. 

Tomorrow would determine their futures. 

And he couldn’t wait.

“Where is he?” Aurelia asked the next morning as she and Brienne walked into the gardens. When she had fallen asleep the night before, Jaime had promised that he would meet them in the morning.

“We’ll see him soon,” Brienne reassured as they walked towards the veranda which overlooked Blackwater Bay. “We have a plan.”

“Which is?” Aurelia asked and Brienne shook her head at her. 

“You’ll see,” Brienne replied, tilting her head towards some of the courtiers wandering the gardens. The gardens had ears and eyes. Aurelia looked at Brienne curiously but knew better than to argue by now. “Father told me to tell you that he misses you.”

“I miss him too.” Aurelia said; she was looking forward to returning to Tarth. Tarth was comfortable, beautiful and home. She wondered what Selwyn had thought about the situation and how he would feel if Jaime came back to Tarth for a visit. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Tyrion walked over to them.

“It’s time, let’s go.” Tyrion informed them as Aurelia gave him a puzzled look before remembering that it was time for the court to assemble; the same way that it did every day. Aurelia and Brienne walked with Tyrion and joined him at his usual spot near the dais where the Iron Throne loomed large. Aurelia turned her head, trying to spot Jaime through the incoming crowd of nobles, Kingsguards and the Small Council before she spotted him slipping out of a side door and taking his place beside the Iron Throne. Aurelia shot him a puzzled look which Jaime ignored. Brienne curled her hand around Aurelia’s and squeezed it tight, offering reassurance and also restraint for her daughter. 

The stage was set. The show would begin.

The court gathering began as it always had, petitions to the council, announcements to the King. Aurelia was still trying to work out what was going to happen. She had fallen asleep as her parents had sat up talking, planning and reminiscing. By the time she had woken up, all she had been told was that everything was sorted. She felt like an actor standing at the side of a stage who had forgotten all their lines. Everything felt contrived, built up for this moment but she had absolutely no idea what was going on. She could suspect but she could also be wrong. So she waited. And waited. 

“If there’s nothing else then-“ Robert said before Jaime finally spoke up.

“Your Grace, I have a request to make.” Jaime said as he stepped down off of the dais and kneeled before the king. Robert had been informed of the plan earlier this morning and he was more than happy to assist. He had never been able to fully trust Jaime and if it meant getting one over on Tywin and Cersei, then he was happy to help.

“Go on then,” Robert replied as Jaime raised his head, looked at Aurelia and Brienne before looking back at Robert.

“I request to be dismissed from the Kingsguard.” Jaime announced. He could hear the gasps and surprised mutters from the crowd and he could sense, rather than see, the shock and surprise from his family. 

“The Kingsguard is for life. Your vows are quite clear on the matter.” Robert informed Jaime who gave a self-deprecating smile.

“I also swore an oath to defend my king and I stuck a sword into his back.” Jaime reminded and Aurelia glanced at the concerned look on Brienne’s face at Jaime’s comment. The event that gave him his most despised title was one he rarely mentioned. “I also made an oath to my wife, that I would forsake her above all others, including the King. Seventeen years ago, I made an oath to her that I would step down from the Kingsguard to be with her. Now I ask to leave for her and for my daughter.”

Several heads swivelled in their direction but Brienne and Aurelia kept their gaze on Jaime. They could feel the daggers being stared into their skulls by Tywin and Cersei and Tyrion calmly watched the scene unfold. 

“Why now?” Stannis asked suddenly, the hand pin on his shirt glinting off the reflected sunlight. Stringent, rule-abiding Stannis would be one to challenge Jaime’s request more than Robert. “You met your daughter over a month ago. Why question your oath now?”

“Because I’ve realised what matters more. What goes beyond oaths and honour. I know where my duty really lies and forgive me, Your Grace, it’s not in the Kingsguard. I was unable to keep my vow to her then, but I wish to make it now.” Jaime explained, not even looking in Cersei’s direction.

“You cannot do this. The Kingsguard is for life.” Tywin protested in his usual calm tone.

“And the King can dismiss a Kingsguard if he chooses.” Robert stated, turning to look at Tywin. For once, he hadn’t been in his cups and there was a flash of the strong ruler he had once been. “I decide that Ser Jaime shall be dismissed from the Kingsguard.”

“Thank you, Your Grace,” Jaime replied humbly, tugging at the white cloak. Brienne walked over and helped him remove the cloak and Aurelia followed, helping to remove some of the heavier pieces of armour. The armour clanged loudly as it hit the floor as Jaime finally faced a stone-faced Tywin and Cersei. “I warned you, both of you, that if you had been involved in sending Lady Brienne away or hiding Aurelia from me that I would no longer be a part of this family. I forsake my claim to the succession of House Lannister. I renounce my claim to Casterly Rock and all of House Lannister’s inheritance.”

“You can’t-“ Cersei began as Jaime stared her out. She broke first.

“I am.” Jaime stated as he pushed up his sleeve with his left hand and undid the straps that fixed the golden hand onto his arm. Jaime removed his golden hand and tossed it at Cersei’s feet. “Here, you did say it was the only part of me that was ever useful.”

“This is your doing!” Cersei accused Brienne who looked at her calmly. To think she had ever been intimidated by Cersei. All she was, was just an angry girl, who twisted and threw tantrums to get her way. Brienne had never done a thing wrong. All she had done was fall in love.

“No, it wasn’t. Unlike you, I never lied to Jaime or manipulated him. And I never would.” Brienne said as Jaime beamed at her. He loved her. He loved her more than words could say. They had wasted too much time. He wasn’t going to wait any longer.

“That’s why I never stopped loving you.” Jaime confessed before he kissed her. Brienne kissed him back and Aurelia grinned at Tyrion. Tyrion smiled back and as Brienne and Jaime broke apart, Jaime kept a tight hold on her hand. 

Together, they walked out of the throne room, not looking back at any member of the court. They could hear the whispering of the court but there didn’t seem to be anyone following them. Once the door closed behind them, Brienne turned to Aurelia. “Get what you want to take with you, we’re leaving in an hour.”

“Just like that?” Aurelia asked, still surprised by the sudden change of events.

“Do you want to stay?” Jaime challenged and she shook her head.

“I’ll get ready.” Aurelia replied and dashed up the corridor. It had been a lot easier than she expected however there was a niggling feeling that it was almost too easy. What if this had been a trap? If they had been overheard making their plans? Were they going to be ambushed? Arrested? Would their ship by mysteriously sunk halfway back to Tarth? It was probably why her parents were in such a rush to leave; the other Lannisters (aside from Tyrion) had not known of their plan but possible retribution could come as soon as the shock wore off. 

Aurelia ran into her bedchamber and opened the wardrobe. As she removed the dresses and threw them haphazardly into her small trunk, she smiled at the thought of her parents being reunited. It had happened so quickly that it was almost difficult to believe. Aurelia pinched herself and the pain informed her that it wasn’t a dream, it was real. As she threw dresses, shoes and trinkets into the chest, Aurelia tensed at the sound of approaching footsteps. Before she could think of a place to hide, Myrcella and Tommen hurried into the room.

“Is it true? You and Uncle Jaime are leaving?” Tommen asked quickly. Tyrion had just told them the news but he had wanted to hear it for himself.

“Shouldn’t you both be in your lessons?” Aurelia replied, wrapping a hand mirror in an underskirt before setting it into the trunk.

“Uncle Tyrion excused us. What’s happened? What’s going on?” Myrcella asked again and Aurelia wondered how to answer. She didn’t want to vilify Cersei to her own children but she wasn’t sure how to word it without lying to them.

“Father wants to be with Mother, he’s coming back to Tarth with us. It’s all happened so suddenly but he and my mother are still in love and they want to be together.” Aurelia explained briefly. They were children, innocents, she didn’t want to be the one to show them the darker side of their family. that ruthless, blind ambition that she hoped would not ruin either Myrcella or Tommen’s lives. 

“Will he come back?” Tommen asked innocently and Aurelia offered a reassuring smile. They hadn’t been told that they couldn’t return to Kings Landing; although she was certain neither Jaime nor Brienne would want to. 

“We’ll definitely come back for visits. Tarth is on the way to Dorne, when you go to marry Prince Trystane, I’m sure you would be able to stop and visit us too.” Aurelia reassured as both Tommen and Myrcella hugged her. 

“You’ll write to us too, won’t you?” Tommen asked and Aurelia hugged him tighter. Now that everyone knew what had happened, she was certain that no more letters would go ‘missing’. 

“Of course I will, we’re cousins. Never forget that.” Aurelia said as she turned and tossed the last items into the trunk and slammed it shut. She looked around the room, checking to see if she had forgotten anything. Aurelia attempted to lift the chest but dropped the heavy weight back onto the bed. 

“I’ll get someone to help,” Tommen offered as he rushed to fetch a guard. As one of the guards carried the chest for her, Aurelia walked with Tommen and Myrcella to find Jaime and Brienne packing the last of the belongings that Jaime wanted to take with him. Tommen and Myrcella rushed over and hugged Jaime tightly, Jaime hugged them back and Aurelia chose to ignore the tears that Jaime attempted to blink back. Neither Aurelia nor Brienne spoke, allowing Jaime to have the moment of farewell with his niece and nephew.   
“We’ll miss you, Uncle Jaime.” Myrcella said sincerely as Jaime stroked her cheek.

“I’ll miss you too,” Jaime replied as he looked at Brienne and Aurelia. “Ready?”

“Let’s go.”

_Four years later_

“AUREEEE!!”

A loud shrieking roused Aurelia from sleep as two small lumps leapt onto her bed. Aurelia swept her hair from her face as she squinted through the moonlight. Two little figures scrambled up her bed and curled into her sides. She could hear the howling of the wind and the loud rumbling of thunder along with the sound of rain lashing against the walls. It was a fierce storm, even by their standards and she wasn’t surprised at the two new arrivals into her bed. 

“It’s fine, it’s just a storm.” Aurelia reassured as she stroked their hair. As her eyes adjusted to the lack of light, she could make out three year old Garrett and two year old Meira. It had been strange to become an older sister but she adored her siblings dearly. 

“Scary,” Meira lisped at a particularly loud rumble of thunder.

“We want Mama and Papa,” Garrett confessed as Aurelia kissed his forehead. 

“They’ll be home soon. They had to go to Dorne for Myrcella’s wedding but they’ll be home before you know it.” Aurelia reassured. She had chosen to remain on Tarth, partly to help Selwyn with the running of the island; his health had been failing over the past months and they all knew it was not looking good. It also meant that she avoided seeing Cersei or Tywin. At sixteen, Myrcella was finally about to marry her beloved Prince Trystane and the letters Aurelia had received from Dorne showed how happy Myrcella was and how honourable her husband was. Aurelia herself, now nineteen, was not wed just yet but as Garrett was now the heir to Tarth after Brienne, there was less of a rush to find her a suitable husband. Aurelia sat herself up properly against the headboard as Garrett and Meira lay beside her. Every time there was a storm, they would crawl into her bed and refused to sleep until they got a story.

“Tell us a story!” Garrett insisted before remembering his manners. “Please.”

“Well, since you said please,” Aurelia teased as she smiled to herself. She knew exactly what story to tell them. “This is a story about a runaway knight, a sword-fighting maiden and an evil queen.”


End file.
